National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Serbian Centre for Parasitic Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2011 Aug;11(8):1209-11. doi: 10.1089/vbz.2010.0119. Epub 2010 Oct 28.
To assess the role of synanthropic rodents in the epidemiology of urban toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma gondii infection was examined in 144 rats (Rattus norvegicus) and 12 mice (Mus musculus) captured using live animal traps in three locations in Belgrade city characterized by poor housing and degraded environment. In rats, specific IgG antibodies were detected by modified agglutination test in 22 (27.5%) of the 80 blood samples available. Toxoplasma brain cysts were microscopically detected in 11 (7.6%), and Toxoplasma DNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction was demonstrated in 15 (10.4%) animals. Of these, both cysts and Toxoplasma DNA were detected in five (3.5%) rats. In mice, cysts were observed in 3 (25%), but Toxoplasma DNA was detected in even 10 (83.3%) animals, including all 3 with morphologically recognized cysts. Being a link in the chain of Toxoplasma infection, the existence of urban rodent reservoirs of infection represents a public health risk.
为了评估城市弓形虫病流行病学中栖生啮齿动物的作用，采用活体动物陷阱在贝尔格莱德市的三个地点捕获了 144 只大鼠（Rattus norvegicus）和 12 只小鼠（Mus musculus），这些地点的住房条件差，环境恶化。在 80 份可用的血液样本中，通过改良凝集试验检测到 22 份（27.5%）大鼠的特异性 IgG 抗体。在 11 份（7.6%）动物中显微镜下检测到弓形虫脑囊泡，在 15 份（10.4%）动物中通过实时聚合酶链反应证明存在弓形虫 DNA。其中，5 份（3.5%）大鼠同时检测到囊泡和弓形虫 DNA。在小鼠中，观察到 3 份（25%）存在囊泡，但在 10 份（83.3%）动物中检测到弓形虫 DNA，包括所有 3 份形态学上可识别的囊泡。作为弓形虫感染链中的一环，城市啮齿动物感染储存库的存在代表了公共卫生风险。
