Kantzoura Vaia, Diakou Anastasia, Kouam Marc K, Feidas Haralambos, Theodoropoulou Helen, Theodoropoulos Georgios
Department of Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals, Faculty of Animal Science and Aquaculture, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos, Votanikos, Athens 11855, Greece.
Parasitol Int. 2013 Dec;62(6):554-60. doi: 10.1016/j.parint.2013.08.010. Epub 2013 Aug 29.
A cross-sectional serological study was carried out to screen the sheep and goat population of Thessaly, Greece for evidence of infection with Toxoplasma, Toxocara, Leishmania, and Echinococcus and to determine the risk factors related to herd characteristics, herd management practices, farmer status, and the bioclimatic variables associated with these zoonotic parasitic infections. A total of 540 sheep and goat serum samples were examined. The seroprevalence of infection in all examined animals was 24.5% for Toxoplasma, 32% for Toxocara, 0% for Leishmania and 85.9% for Echinococcus. The final logistic regression model showed that the species of small ruminant, herd size, anthelmintic treatment, class of anthelmintic treatment, grazing with other herds, educational level of farmer, elevation of farm location, and generalized land cover were associated with Toxoplasma gondii infections, while the species of small ruminant, farm type, anthelmintic treatment, class of anthelmintic treatment, rotation of grazing, age of farmer, elevation of farm location, and generalized land cover were associated with Toxocara canis infections. Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 102 (28.3%) of 360 sheep and in 30 (16.8%) of 179 goats. Animals in small flocks (150-300 animals) had an approximately 0.42-fold lower risk of having positive cases of T. gondii among animals compared with large flocks (>300 animals). Antibodies to T. canis were found in 155 (42.9%) of 361 sheep and 18 (10.1%) of 179 goats. The later finding constitutes the first report of seropositive goats to Toxocara. The risk of positivity for T. canis was 7.71-fold higher in sheep than in goats. Geographically, animals from plain areas had 2.9 and 2.01-fold higher risk of having positive cases of T. gondii and T. canis respectively. The significant bioclimatic variables (p<0.05) associated with the occurrence locations of T. gondii infection were related to higher temperature, lower precipitation, and lower elevation compared to the absence locations of T. gondii. The significant bioclimatic variables (p<0.05) associated with occurrence locations of T. canis infection were related to lower temperature and higher precipitation compared to absence locations of T. canis. These findings are useful to formulate appropriate control strategies for zoonotic parasites of sheep and goats in Greece and other areas with similar climatic conditions.
开展了一项横断面血清学研究，以筛查希腊色萨利地区绵羊和山羊群体是否感染弓形虫、犬弓首蛔虫、利什曼原虫和棘球绦虫，并确定与畜群特征、畜群管理措施、养殖户状况以及与这些人畜共患寄生虫感染相关的生物气候变量有关的风险因素。共检测了540份绵羊和山羊血清样本。在所检测的所有动物中，弓形虫感染的血清阳性率为24.5%，犬弓首蛔虫为32%，利什曼原虫为0%，棘球绦虫为85.9%。最终的逻辑回归模型显示，小型反刍动物的种类、畜群规模、驱虫治疗、驱虫治疗类别、与其他畜群一起放牧、养殖户的教育水平、养殖场位置的海拔高度以及广义土地覆盖与刚地弓形虫感染有关，而小型反刍动物的种类、养殖场类型、驱虫治疗、驱虫治疗类别、轮牧、养殖户年龄、养殖场位置的海拔高度以及广义土地覆盖与犬弓首蛔虫感染有关。在360只绵羊中有102只（28.3%）和179只山羊中有30只（16.8%）检测到抗弓形虫抗体。小畜群（150 - 300只动物）中的动物感染弓形虫阳性病例的风险比大畜群（>300只动物）中的动物低约0.42倍。在361只绵羊中有155只（42.9%）和179只山羊中有18只（10.1%）检测到抗犬弓首蛔虫抗体。后一发现是山羊犬弓首蛔虫血清阳性的首次报告。犬弓首蛔虫阳性的风险在绵羊中比在山羊中高7.71倍。在地理上，来自平原地区的动物感染弓形虫和犬弓首蛔虫阳性病例的风险分别高2.9倍和2.01倍。与弓形虫感染发生地点相关的显著生物气候变量（p<0.05）与弓形虫未出现地点相比，与较高温度、较低降水量和较低海拔有关。与犬弓首蛔虫感染发生地点相关的显著生物气候变量（p<0.05）与犬弓首蛔虫未出现地点相比，与较低温度和较高降水量有关。这些发现有助于为希腊以及其他气候条件相似地区制定针对绵羊和山羊人畜共患寄生虫的适当控制策略。
