Institute of Zoology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, 60800, Pakistan.
Department of Zoology, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal, Dir Upper, Khyber, Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Sci Rep. 2024 Sep 30;14(1):22716. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-73265-3.
Rodents are the synanthropic mammals that are existing in close proximity to humans and their belongings and have the potential to act as the reservoir for a variety of parasites having zoonotic potential. Present study was designed to report the molecular prevalence and phylogenetic evaluation of Toxoplasma gondii in the blood samples of four wild rodent species [Rattus rattus (N = 122), Mus musculus (N = 64), Rattus norvegicus (N = 57) and Dryomys nitedula (N = 1)] that were trapped during May 2022 till July 2023 from three districts in Punjab (Jampur, Dera Ghazi Khan and Multan) and three districts (Upper Dir, Mardan and Bunar) in Pakistan. Results revealed that 44/244 (18%) rodents amplified ITS-1 gene of Toxoplasma gondii through PCR. Parasite prevalence varied between the rodent species. Highest rate of infection was found in Rattus norvegicus followed by Rattus rattus and Mus musculus. For both rat species, Toxoplasma gondii infection significantly varies between the sampling districts. DNA sequencing and BLAST analysis confirmed the presence of Toxoplasma gondii in rodent blood samples. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Pakistani isolates were genetically diverse and clustered with the isolates that were reported from worldwide countries. Complete blood count analysis revealed that parasite infected rodents had disturbed lymphocyte, mean platelet volume, mean corpuscular volume (and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. Markers of oxidative stress analysis revealed that infected rodent had elevated malondialdehyde levels in liver and kidney while disturb catalase concentrations in kidney and heart as compared to uninfected animals. In conclusion, we are reporting a relatively high prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Pakistani rodents. Infection leads to disturbed complete blood count and markers of oxidative stress in the vital organs. We recommend large scale studies in various geo-climatic regions of Pakistan to report the incidence and prevalence of this pathogen among the rodents in order to prevent their infections in local people as well as in livestock.
本研究旨在报告从 2022 年 5 月至 2023 年 7 月在巴基斯坦旁遮普省的三个地区（詹普尔、德拉加齐汗和木尔坦）和三个地区（上迪尔、马尔丹和布纳尔）捕获的四种野生啮齿动物[褐家鼠（N=122）、小家鼠（N=64）、挪威鼠（N=57）和旱獭（N=1）]的血液样本中，刚地弓形虫 Toxoplasma gondii 的分子流行率和系统发育评估。结果显示，通过 PCR，44/244（18%）只啮齿动物扩增了刚地弓形虫的 ITS-1 基因。寄生虫的流行率在啮齿动物种间有所不同。感染率最高的是挪威鼠，其次是褐家鼠和小家鼠。对于这两种鼠类，刚地弓形虫的感染在采样地区之间存在显著差异。DNA 测序和 BLAST 分析证实了刚地弓形虫存在于啮齿动物血液样本中。系统发育分析表明，巴基斯坦分离株具有遗传多样性，并与来自全球各国的分离株聚类。全血细胞计数分析显示，寄生虫感染的啮齿动物的淋巴细胞、平均血小板体积、平均红细胞体积（和平均红细胞血红蛋白浓度受到干扰。氧化应激分析标志物显示，与未感染动物相比，感染的啮齿动物的肝脏和肾脏中的丙二醛水平升高，而肾脏和心脏中的过氧化氢酶浓度受到干扰。总之，我们报告了在巴基斯坦啮齿动物中刚地弓形虫的相对高流行率。感染导致重要器官的全血细胞计数和氧化应激分析标志物受到干扰。我们建议在巴基斯坦的各个地理气候地区进行大规模研究，以报告该病原体在啮齿动物中的发病率和流行率，以防止其在当地人和牲畜中感染。
