Hancock Katie, Thiele Lori A, Zajac Anne M, Elvingert Francois, Lindsay David S
Center for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, 1410 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0342, USA.
J Parasitol. 2005 Jun;91(3):694-5. doi: 10.1645/GE-443R.
Raccoons (Procyon lotor) are intermediate hosts for Toxoplasma gondii, and clinical toxoplasmosis in raccoons has been reported. A 2-yr serological survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of antibodies to T. gondii in raccoons collected from Fairfax County, Virginia, a suburban/urban area outside Washington, D.C. Serum samples from 256 raccoons were examined for T. gondii antibodies at a 1:50 dilution using the modified direct agglutination test. Results indicated that 216 (84.4%) of the raccoons had been exposed to T. gondii. Our results indicate that raccoons in this area of Virginia are frequently exposed to T. gondii. Domestic cats were common in the study area and may have served as a source of oocysts for raccoons and the food items of raccoons.
浣熊(北美浣熊)是刚地弓形虫的中间宿主,并且已有浣熊患临床弓形虫病的报道。开展了一项为期两年的血清学调查,以确定从弗吉尼亚州费尔法克斯县(华盛顿特区外的一个郊区/市区)采集的浣熊体内抗刚地弓形虫抗体的流行情况。使用改良直接凝集试验,对256只浣熊的血清样本进行了1:50稀释度的刚地弓形虫抗体检测。结果表明,216只(84.4%)浣熊曾接触过刚地弓形虫。我们的结果表明,弗吉尼亚州这个地区的浣熊经常接触刚地弓形虫。家猫在研究区域很常见,可能是浣熊的卵囊来源以及浣熊的食物来源。