First report of Toxoplasma gondii Seroprevalence in Farmed Arctic Foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in Eastern and Northeastern China

Abstract

Until now, no information on Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) was available in China. A serological survey was undertaken to assess T. gondii seroprevalence in farmed Arctic foxes in eastern and northeastern China. Antibodies to T. gondii were examined in 1346 farmed Arctic foxes using the modified agglutination test (MAT). A total of 113 (8.39%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.91-9.87) serum samples were positive to T. gondii at a 1:25 cutoff. Seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in male Arctic foxes was 8.68% (95% CI 6.75-10.6), which was higher than that in the female Arctic foxes (7.95%, 95% CI 5.65-10.26). The prevalence in polar foxes was 7.07% (95% CI 5.14-8.99), which was lower than that in the blue foxes (9.75%, 95% CI 7.49-11.99). T. gondii seroprevalence in Arctic foxes in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, and Shandong Provinces was 9.85% (95% CI 5.75-13.95), 9.21% (95% CI 5.54-12.87), 7.37% (95% CI 5.22-9.51), and 8.68% (95% CI 5.66-11.70), respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between T. gondii seroprevalence and morphs, sex, or regions of Arctic foxes in logistic regression analysis (p < 0.05). The results of the present survey indicated that T. gondii infection in farmed Arctic foxes is prevalent in China. To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. gondii seroprevalence in Arctic foxes in China.

Keywords: Arctic foxes; China; Modified agglutination test; Seroprevalence; Toxoplasma gondii.