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. 2024 Aug 14:6:100207.
doi: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2024.100207. eCollection 2024.

Isolation and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from chickens from public markets in Pernambuco State, Brazil

Renato Amorim da Silva  1 , Raissa Santana Renovato  1 , Hannah Tsuruzaki Kirzner de Barros E Silva  1 , Maria Luiza Didier Marques  1 , Pollyanne Raysa Fernandes Oliveira  1 , Jéssica de Crasto Souza Carvalho-Reis  1 , Paul M Bartley  2 , Frank Katzer  2 , Érika Fernanda Torres Samico-Fernandes  1 , Renata Pimentel Bandeira de Melo  1 , Rinaldo Aparecido Mota  1
Affiliations

Isolation and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from chickens from public markets in Pernambuco State, Brazil

Renato Amorim da Silva et al. Curr Res Parasitol Vector Borne Dis. .

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the presence and viability of Toxoplasma gondii in chickens intended for human consumption in the Pernambuco State, Brazil. Blood and tissue samples were collected from 25 chickens sold in markets in Recife, Pernambuco. Samples were evaluated by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) to detect antibodies to T. gondii. Pools of brain and heart of seropositive chickens were subjected to bioassay in two Swiss Webster mice, which were evaluated for 45 days then tested by IFA to detect seroconversion. The mice were euthanized, and their brains were evaluated for cysts. Peritoneal lavage was also conducted in mice that exhibited clinical signs. Brains containing cysts or peritoneal lavage with tachyzoites were inoculated into MA-104 cells. Brains of mice inoculated with the same tissue were pooled and analysed by ITS1-PCR. We obtained a frequency of antibodies to T. gondii of 68.00% (17/25) in chickens, and a seroconversion rate of 70.58% (24/34) in mice. Detection of Toxoplasma ITS1 DNA confirmed an isolation rate of 41.1% (7/17). Three isolates were characterized by mnPCR-RFLP as genotypes ToxoDB#36 and ToxoDB#114. We highlight the occurrence of ToxoDB#36 in chickens in Pernambuco State and the parasites' viability in chickens intended for human consumption.

Keywords: Chicken; Mouse bioassay; PCR-RFLP; Public health; Toxoplasma gondii; Zoonosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. Given their role as Co-Editor, Frank Katzer had no involvement in the peer-review of this article and has no access to information regarding its peer-review. Full responsibility for the editorial process for this article was delegated to Professor Aneta Kostadinova (Editor-in-Chief).

Figures

Image 1
Graphical abstract
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Phylogenetic analysis of Toxoplasma gondii isolates obtained in the present study (red) and characterized by RFLP-PCR utilizing the clonal lineages I, II, III, II-variant, BrI, BrII, BrIII, BrIV, and isolates obtained from chickens in Brazil as reference strains.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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