Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Parasitology Laboratory, Animal Health and Food Safety Agency Cluj Division, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
BMC Vet Res. 2024 Aug 17;20(1):369. doi: 10.1186/s12917-024-04210-9.
Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan parasite with a heteroxenus life cycle that involves felids as the definitive hosts and any warm-blooded animal, including humans, as intermediate hosts. Cats are key players in parasite transmission as they are capable of shedding high numbers of oocysts in their feces that contaminate the environment.
The study was performed on 31 domestic cats (31.23 ± 27.18 months old) originating from rural and urban areas (5.17:1) in the center and north-west Romania. Feces (n = 31), blood (n = 28), and heart samples (n = 27) were collected. Fecal samples were analyzed by flotation technique, and PCR (529 bp repetitive element). Fecal samples with T. gondii oocysts were bioassayed in mice. Serum samples were analyzed by modified agglutination test and ImmunoComb for the detection of specific anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies. Heart samples were bioassayed in mice, and analyzed by PCR. Toxoplasma gondii positive samples were genotyped by nPCR-RFLP targeting eleven genetic loci (SAG1, SAG2, alt-SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, and Apico).
Toxoplasma gondii oocysts were found in 2 out of 31 fecal samples collected from a 3-months old stray kitten, and a 4-years old female. In total, 17 out of 27 sera were positive for T. gondii IgG antibodies. The antibody titers in MAT ranged from 1:6 to 1:384. Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in 7 out of 27 heart samples, and four of them were positive also by bioassay. Six T. gondii DNA samples from bioassayed mice could be assigned to ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype #1 or #3 (Type II) and one T. gondii DNA from heart digest to genotype #2 (Type III). Both of these genotypes are common in Europe.
Our results revealed that the infection with T. gondii is still high in cats from Romania. The oocysts shedded by these cats represent an important source of infection for intermediate hosts, including humans. Further studies on a wider range of cases are necessary for a more exhaustive definition of the T. gondii genotypes circulating in Romania.
刚地弓形虫是一种有性世代和无性世代交替的动物源性原虫，生活史中有中间宿主和终末宿主。中间宿主包括所有温血动物，终末宿主为猫科动物。猫是寄生虫传播的关键因素，因为它们的粪便中会排出大量卵囊，污染环境。
本研究共纳入 31 只来自罗马尼亚中部和西北部农村和城市地区（5.17:1）的家猫（31.23±27.18 个月）。采集粪便（n=31）、血液（n=28）和心脏样本（n=27）。粪便样本通过漂浮技术和 529 bp 重复元件 PCR 进行分析。对含有刚地弓形虫卵囊的粪便样本进行生物检测，并在小鼠体内进行生物检测。血清样本通过改良凝集试验和 ImmunoComb 检测特定抗刚地弓形虫 IgG 抗体。心脏样本通过生物检测和 PCR 进行分析。阳性样本通过 nPCR-RFLP 针对 11 个遗传基因座（SAG1、SAG2、alt-SAG2、SAG3、BTUB、GRA6、c22-8、c29-2、L358、PK1 和 Apico）进行基因分型。
从一只 3 个月大的流浪小猫和一只 4 岁的雌性猫的 31 份粪便样本中发现了刚地弓形虫卵囊。27 份血清中有 17 份抗刚地弓形虫 IgG 抗体阳性。MAT 抗体滴度范围为 1:6 至 1:384。27 份心脏样本中检测到 7 份刚地弓形虫 DNA，其中 4 份也通过生物检测阳性。从生物检测的小鼠中分离出的 6 份刚地弓形虫 DNA 可被分配到 ToxoDB PCR-RFLP 基因型 #1 或 #3（II 型）和 1 份心脏消化物中的刚地弓形虫 DNA 到基因型 #2（III 型）。这两种基因型在欧洲都很常见。
我们的结果表明，罗马尼亚猫的刚地弓形虫感染仍然很高。这些猫排出的卵囊是包括人类在内的中间宿主感染的重要来源。需要对更广泛的病例进行进一步研究，以更全面地定义罗马尼亚流行的刚地弓形虫基因型。
