Poulsen Amanda, Fritz Heather, Clifford Deana L, Conrad Patricia, Roy Austin, Glueckert Elle, Foley Janet
1 Department of Veterinary Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616, USA.
2 Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, PO Box 647040, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA.
J Wildl Dis. 2017 Jan;53(1):62-72. doi: 10.7589/2015-12-349. Epub 2016 Sep 30.
We investigated the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in 2011-15 to assess its potential threat on the endangered Amargosa vole ( Microtus californicus scirpensis) in California, US. Surveillance was simultaneously performed on populations of syntopic rodent species. We detected antibodies to T. gondii in sera from 10.5% of 135 wild-caught Amargosa voles; 8% of 95 blood samples were PCR-positive for the T. gondii B1 gene, and 5.0% of 140 sympatric rodent brain samples were PCR-positive. Exposure to T. gondii did not change the probability that an animal would be recaptured in the field study. Behavioral response to domestic cat ( Felis catus ) and bobcat ( Lynx rufus ) urine was evaluated in five nonendangered Owens Valley voles ( Microtus californicus vallicola) as surrogates for Amargosa voles and seven uninfected controls. Voles showed mild attraction to mouse urine and had neutral reactions to domestic cat urine whether or not infected. Time spent near bobcat urine was approximately twice as high in infected than in uninfected voles (although not statistically significant). The presence of T. gondii in wild Amargosa vole and sympatric rodent populations may hinder the endangered Amargosa vole population's ability to recover in the wild.
我们在2011年至2015年期间调查了弓形虫的流行情况，以评估其对美国加利福尼亚州濒危的阿马戈萨田鼠（加州田鼠指名亚种）的潜在威胁。同时对同域啮齿动物种群进行了监测。我们在135只野生捕获的阿马戈萨田鼠的血清中检测到了针对弓形虫的抗体；95份血液样本中有8%的样本对弓形虫B1基因的PCR检测呈阳性，140份同域啮齿动物脑样本中有5.0%的样本PCR检测呈阳性。在野外研究中，接触弓形虫并没有改变动物被重新捕获的概率。在五只非濒危的欧文斯谷田鼠（加州田鼠山谷亚种）作为阿马戈萨田鼠的替代物以及七只未感染的对照中，评估了它们对家猫（家猫）和短尾猫（山猫）尿液的行为反应。田鼠对小鼠尿液表现出轻微的吸引力，无论是否感染，对家猫尿液都有中性反应。感染的田鼠在短尾猫尿液附近停留的时间大约是未感染田鼠的两倍（尽管没有统计学意义）。野生阿马戈萨田鼠和同域啮齿动物种群中弓形虫的存在可能会阻碍濒危阿马戈萨田鼠种群在野外的恢复能力。
