title: SURVEY OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII ANTIBODIES IN MAGELLANIC PENGUINS (SPHENISCUS MAGELLANICUS FORSTER, 1781).
abstract: Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) breed on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the southernmost parts of South America and migrate northward as far as Peru and Brazil. Serum samples (n = 100) from Magellanic penguins from three zoos and two rehabilitation centers (RCs) in Brazil were assayed for the presence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii by means of the modified agglutination test (MAT, cut-off ≥ 20). The penguins were categorized as young (≤4 yr old) or adults (≥4 yr old) and sexed (male, female, or not identified), and data were analyzed using the chi-square test (P ≤ 0.05). Toxoplasma gondii antibodies were found in 28% of penguins: 25.8% males, 27.8% females, 30.3% unknown sex, 25.4% young, and 31.1% adults. Statistical analyses did not find any difference (P > 0.05) with respect to age, sex, or source of birds. This is the first report of T. gondii antibodies in S. magellanicus.
authors.forename: Solange M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Gennari
authors.forename: Cláudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Niemeyer
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Catão-Dias
authors.forename: Herbert S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Igor C L
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Acosta
authors.forename: Ricardo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: Jéssica D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Cristiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lassalvia
authors.forename: Pryscilla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maracini
authors.forename: Cristiane K M
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Kolesnikovas
authors.forename: Luis F S P
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Mayorga
authors.forename: Jitender P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D046429:Spheniscidae; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
keywords: Brazilian coast; Magellanic penguins; Spheniscus magellanicus; Toxoplasma gondii