Centro de Investigacion para la Sustentabilidad, Universidad Andres Bello, República, Santiago, Chile.
UAB, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, IRTA-UAB), Campus de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.
PLoS One. 2018 Jun 20;13(6):e0199085. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199085. eCollection 2018.
The increase in human population and domestic pets, such as cats, are generating important consequences in terms of habitat loss and pathogen pollution of coastal ecosystems with potential to generate negative impacts in marine biodiversity. Toxoplasma gondii is the etiological agent of zoonotic disease toxoplasmosis, and is associated with cat abundance and anthropogenic disturbance. The presence of T. gondii oocysts in the ocean has negatively affected the health status of the threatened Southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) populations. The present study analyzed seroprevalence and presence of T. gondii DNA in American mink (Neovison vison), Southern river otters (Lontra provocax) and domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) in four different areas in Southern Chile comprising studies in rivers and lakes in Andean foothills and mountains, marine habitat and island coastal ecosystems. Mean seroprevalence of T. gondii in the study was 64% of 151 total animals sampled: 59% of 73 American mink, 77% of 13 Southern river otters, 68% of 65 domestic cats and in two of two kodkods (Leopardus guigna). Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in tissues from one American mink and one Southern river otter. The present study confirms the widespread distribution of T. gondii in Southern Chile, and shows a high exposure of semiaquatic mustelids and domestic cats to the parasite. Cats and anthropogenic disturbance have a role in the maintenance of T. gondii infection in ecosystems of southern Chile.
人口增长和宠物猫等家养动物的增加，正在对沿海生态系统的栖息地丧失和病原体污染产生重要影响，这可能对海洋生物多样性产生负面影响。刚地弓形虫是一种人畜共患疾病弓形虫病的病原体，与猫的丰度和人为干扰有关。海洋中刚地弓形虫卵囊的存在已经对受威胁的南象海豹（Enhydra lutris nereis）种群的健康状况产生了负面影响。本研究分析了在智利南部四个不同地区（包括安第斯山麓和山区的河流和湖泊、海洋生境和岛屿沿海生态系统）的美洲水貂（Neovison vison）、南方水獭（Lontra provocax）和家猫（Felis silvestris catus）中弓形虫血清阳性率和 DNA 存在情况。研究中弓形虫的总血清阳性率为 151 只动物的 64%：73 只美洲水貂的 59%，13 只南方水獭的 77%，65 只家猫的 68%，2 只kodkod（Leopardus guigna）的 68%。在一只美洲水貂和一只南方水獭的组织中检测到了刚地弓形虫 DNA。本研究证实了刚地弓形虫在智利南部的广泛分布，并表明半水生鼬科动物和家猫对寄生虫的暴露程度很高。猫和人为干扰在智利南部生态系统中维持刚地弓形虫感染方面发挥了作用。
