Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in hunted wild boars (Sus scrofa) from southeastern France.
Toxoplasma gondii (Nicolle et Manceaux, 1908) is an obligate intracellular, parasitic protozoan within the phylum Apicomplexa that causes toxoplasmosis in mammalian hosts (including humans) and birds. Since meat of wild boar, Sus scrofa (Linnaeus), has been demonstrated to be a potential source of human infection, a careful evaluation of the prevalence of infection with T. gondii in hunted animals is needed to protect public health. In the Var area in southeastern France, we performed a spatio-temporal survey in order to investigate the prevalence of IgG antibodies in wild boars shot by hunters in the Canjuers military camp during two subsequent hunting seasons. Of 841 wild boars screened, antibodies (IgG) to T. gondii (modified agglutination test, cut-off 1 : 6) were found in 141 (16.8%) muscle extract samples. A significant association (p < 0.001) was found between positivity and age, but not gender, and hunting districts. The results obtained indicate that consumption of raw or undercooked meat from wild boars carries an important risk of infection with T. gondii. Wild boars may be considered as a bioindicator of parasite circulation in this ecosystem.
French Forces Medical Service Working Group on Animal Epidemiology, Toulon, France.
Cedric
C
Roqueplo
Animal Health Laboratory, Universite Paris-Est, Anses, Ecole Nationale Veterinaire, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Maisons-Alfort, France.
Radu
R
Blaga
French Forces Medical Service Working Group on Animal Epidemiology, Toulon, France.|Research Unit of Emerging Infectious and Tropical Diseases, IHU Mediterranee Infection, Aix-Marseille Universite, Marseille, France.
Marie
M
Jean-Lou
Animal Health Laboratory, Universite Paris-Est, Anses, Ecole Nationale Veterinaire, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Maisons-Alfort, France.
Isabelle
I
Vallee
French Forces Medical Service Working Group on Animal Epidemiology, Toulon, France.|Research Unit of Emerging Infectious and Tropical Diseases, IHU Mediterranee Infection, Aix-Marseille Universite, Marseille, France.
Bernard
B
Davoust
D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000469:parasitology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D034421:Sus scrofa; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D015047:Zoonoses
agglutination test; epidemiology; seroprevalence; toxoplasmosis; wildlife