Hwang Y T, Pitt J A, Quirk T W, Dubey J P
Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada.
J Parasitol. 2007 Dec;93(6):1370-3. doi: 10.1645/GE-1319.1.
The protozoon Toxoplasma gondii has a worldwide distribution and affects many species of warm-blooded animals. In the Canadian prairies, mesocarnivores such as striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) and raccoons (Procyon lotor) have experienced an increase in density and distribution, and they are in close contact with human dwellings. However, there has been no systematic study on the seroprevalence of T. gondii in these mesocarnivore populations. The objectives of the current project were to determine the serum antibody prevalence of T. gondii in Canadian prairie mesocarnivores and to study the relationship between antibody prevalence and species, sex, age, location, and year of collection. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 5 of 24 (20.8%) skunks from Saskatchewan trapped in 1999 and 5 of 40 (12.5%) in 2000. Seroprevalences for T. gondii in raccoons and skunks trapped in Manitoba were 2 of 10 (20%) raccoons trapped in 2002, 7 of 44 (15.9%) trapped in 2003, and 16 of 37 (43.2%) trapped in 2004; and in 13 of 99 (13.1%) skunks trapped in 2003, 29 of 131 (22.1%) trapped in 2004, 53 of 165 (32.1%) trapped in 2005, and 30 of 51 (58.8%) trapped in 2006. Age, location, and year, but not the host species, were important variables in the determining the seroprevalence of T. gondii in skunks and raccoons. Results confirm that T. gondii is endemic in the skunk and raccoon populations in the Canadian prairies.
原生动物刚地弓形虫在全球范围内分布，可感染多种温血动物。在加拿大草原地区，诸如条纹臭鼬（Mephitis mephitis）和浣熊（Procyon lotor）等中型食肉动物的密度和分布范围有所增加，并且它们与人类住所密切接触。然而，尚未对这些中型食肉动物群体中弓形虫的血清阳性率进行系统研究。本项目的目的是确定加拿大草原地区中型食肉动物中弓形虫的血清抗体阳性率，并研究抗体阳性率与物种、性别、年龄、采集地点和年份之间的关系。在1999年捕获的来自萨斯喀彻温省的24只臭鼬中有5只（20.8%）检测出弓形虫抗体，2000年捕获的40只中有5只（12.5%）。2002年在马尼托巴省捕获的10只浣熊中有2只（20%）检测出弓形虫血清阳性，2003年捕获的44只中有7只（15.9%），2004年捕获的37只中有16只（43.2%）；2003年捕获的99只臭鼬中有13只（13.1%），2004年捕获的131只中有29只（22.1%），2005年捕获的165只中有53只（32.1%），2006年捕获的51只中有30只（58.8%）。年龄、采集地点和年份是决定臭鼬和浣熊中弓形虫血清阳性率的重要变量，而宿主物种并非如此。结果证实，弓形虫在加拿大草原地区的臭鼬和浣熊种群中呈地方性流行。
