Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran.
Epidemiol Health. 2020;42:e2020074. doi: 10.4178/epih.e2020074. Epub 2020 Dec 4.
The oocysts of the Toxoplasmatinae subfamily (Neospora caninum, Hammondia hammondi and H. heydorni, and Besnoitia besnoiti) are morphologically similar to Toxoplasma gondii, and indistinguishable from each other. This study investigated the prevalence of the Toxoplasmatinae subfamily in dog and cat fecal samples using a nested polymerase chain reaction method.
Overall, 200 fecal samples from domestic dogs (n=120) and cats (n=80) were collected from 15 farms in northern Iran. The samples were homogenized in 2.5% potassium dichromate solution and subsequently concentrated with sucrose solution. DNA was extracted from samples using a genomic DNA kit. Specific primers and the 18S rDNA gene were used to screen and detect all Toxoplasmatinae oocysts.
Overall, 2.5% (3 of 120) and 22.5% (18 of 80) of the fecal samples collected from dogs and cats were infected with Toxoplasmatinae. In dogs, 2 samples were positive for N. caninum and 1 sample was positive for T. gondii. In cats, all 18 positive samples belonged to T. gondii. No contamination with H. heydorni was observed in dog fecal samples or H. hammondi and B. besnoiti in cat fecal samples. A phylogenetic analysis revealed that the T. gondii (cat) and N. caninum (dog) found had similarities with parasites reported from other regions of the world.
This is the first study to provide data on the epidemiology of Toxoplasmatinae oocysts in Iran. The findings suggest that public-health monitoring for the effective control of feces from cats and dogs and improved pet hygiene habits are needed.
弓形虫亚科（刚地弓形虫、哈氏巴贝斯虫和亨氏巴贝斯虫以及贝氏巴贝斯虫）的卵囊在形态上与刚地弓形虫相似，彼此之间无法区分。本研究采用巢式聚合酶链反应方法调查了犬和猫粪便样本中弓形虫亚科的流行情况。
总共从伊朗北部的 15 个农场收集了 200 份来自家犬（n=120）和猫（n=80）的粪便样本。将样本在 2.5%重铬酸钾溶液中匀浆，然后用蔗糖溶液浓缩。使用基因组 DNA 试剂盒从样品中提取 DNA。使用特异性引物和 18S rDNA 基因筛选和检测所有弓形虫亚科卵囊。
总共，从犬和猫粪便中采集的样本有 2.5%（120 份中的 3 份）和 22.5%（80 份中的 18 份）感染了弓形虫亚科。在犬中，有 2 个样本为刚地弓形虫阳性，1 个样本为弓形虫阳性。在猫中，所有 18 个阳性样本均属于弓形虫。在犬粪便样本中未发现哈氏巴贝斯虫和亨氏巴贝斯虫的污染，在猫粪便样本中也未发现哈氏巴贝斯虫和贝氏巴贝斯虫的污染。系统发育分析显示，在猫中发现的弓形虫（猫）和刚地弓形虫（犬）与来自世界其他地区的寄生虫具有相似性。
这是伊朗首次提供有关弓形虫亚科卵囊流行病学数据的研究。研究结果表明，需要对猫和犬的粪便进行公共卫生监测，以有效控制，并改善宠物卫生习惯。
