Study of Toxoplasma infection in Brazilian wild mammals: serological evidence in Dasypus novemcinctus Linnaeus, 1758 and Euphractus sexcinctus Wagler, 1830

Vet Parasitol. 2006 Jan 15;135(1):81-3. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2005.08.013. Epub 2005 Sep 26.

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide distributed zoonosis that affects man and most warm-blooded animals, with a great economic impact in animal and public health. Serum samples from nine 9-banded armadillos, three 6-banded armadillos, three coatimundis, two opossums and one nutria were submitted for anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibody detection by means of a modified direct agglutination method. Encephalic tissue of three 6-banded armadillos, one 9-banded armadillo, one coatimundi and one nutria were digested in acid pepsin solution and inoculated into Swiss mice for parasite isolation. Only one serum sample from a nine-banded armadillo and two from six-banded armadillos reacted producing titers equal to 256, 512 and 512, respectively. T. gondii was isolated in two 6-banded armadillos, one of which was not positive in the serological test.

MeSH terms

  • Agglutination Tests / veterinary
  • Animals
  • Animals, Wild / parasitology
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood*
  • Armadillos / parasitology*
  • Biological Assay / veterinary
  • Brain / parasitology
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Mice
  • Opossums / parasitology
  • Procyonidae / parasitology
  • Public Health
  • Rodent Diseases / epidemiology
  • Rodentia
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Toxoplasma / immunology
  • Toxoplasmosis, Animal / epidemiology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Protozoan