Parasitology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
Parasitol Res. 2022 May;121(5):1437-1445. doi: 10.1007/s00436-022-07469-9. Epub 2022 Feb 22.
Infections with the Apicomplexa Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, and Sarcocystis spp. are common causes of reproductive disorders in sheep. However, few epidemiological studies regarding co-infections with these three protozoa are reported in sheep in Italy. For this reason, this study aims to evaluate possible co-infections with T. gondii, N. caninum, and Sarcocystis spp. in sheep slaughtered for human consumption. From April to July 2019, individual blood, brain, heart, and diaphragm samples were collected from 138 sheep after slaughtering. The presence of IgG anti-Toxoplasma in serum samples was evaluated through ELISA. DNA of the three protozoa was investigated using specific PCRs. Co-infection with T. gondii, N. caninum and Sarcocystis spp. was found in 66.7% of the examined sheep. Antibodies against T. gondii were found in the 36.2% of serum samples. The presence of T. gondii DNA was detected in the 67.4%, 77.5%, and 21.7% of the brain, heart, and diaphragm samples, respectively. Neospora caninum DNA was found in 72.5% of the examined brain samples. Sarcocystis spp. DNA was detected in 92% and 52.2% of the heart and diaphragm samples, respectively. Sequence analysis of the Sarcocystis spp. revealed the sole presence of Sarcocystis tenella. The present study demonstrates that sheep have a high risk of infection with the three Apicomplexa investigated, suggesting the need to adopt adequate measures to prevent the spread of these parasitic infections considering their clinical and economic impact on ovine production. Furthermore, the possible role sheep play in the zoonotic transmission of toxoplasmosis to humans was highlighted.
在绵羊中，弓形体、新孢子虫和肉孢子虫属的感染是常见的生殖障碍的原因。然而，在意大利，关于这三种原生动物的合并感染的流行病学研究很少。因此，本研究旨在评估在用于人类消费的屠宰绵羊中是否存在弓形体、新孢子虫和肉孢子虫属的合并感染。2019 年 4 月至 7 月，在屠宰后从 138 只绵羊中采集了单独的血液、脑、心脏和横膈膜样本。通过 ELISA 评估血清样本中 IgG 抗弓形虫的存在。使用特定的 PCR 检测三种原生动物的 DNA。在检查的绵羊中，发现 66.7%的绵羊存在弓形体、新孢子虫和肉孢子虫属的合并感染。在 36.2%的血清样本中发现了针对弓形虫的抗体。在大脑、心脏和横膈膜样本中分别检测到 67.4%、77.5%和 21.7%的弓形体 DNA。在检查的大脑样本中发现了 72.5%的新孢子虫 DNA。在心脏和横膈膜样本中分别检测到 92%和 52.2%的肉孢子虫属 DNA。肉孢子虫属的序列分析显示仅存在肉孢子虫 tenella。本研究表明绵羊感染这三种原生动物的风险很高，这表明需要采取适当的措施来预防这些寄生虫感染的传播，因为它们对绵羊生产具有临床和经济影响。此外，还强调了绵羊在人类弓形虫病的人畜共患传播中可能扮演的角色。
