Occurrence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in mules and donkeys in the northeast of Brazil.
- Journal Article
Summary
The research study investigates the occurrence of antibodies to the Toxoplasma gondii parasite in the blood of mules and donkeys in northeast Brazil, and signals a health risk related to consuming equine meat.
Objective and Methodology
The primary objective of the study was to determine the presence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in the serum of mules and donkeys bred in northeastern Brazil. The research used a total of 483 samples, comprising of 395 mules and 88 donkeys across 4 different states in the northeast region. The technique used to identify the antibodies was called the Indirect Immunofluorescence Reaction (IFI).
- The IFI technique is a common method used to detect specific antibodies to help identify and diagnose infections or diseases in animal bodies.
- The cut-off point for identifying the presence of antibodies was 64, a standard measure for these type of studies that can vary based on the specifics of the infection being detected.
Findings
The findings revealed positive frequencies of 23.8% and 43.2% for mules and donkeys, respectively. This implies that a significant portion of the equine population in these regions is carrying antibodies against T. gondii, indicating exposure to the parasite.
- In terms of geographical prevalence, the state of Pernambuco had the highest occurrence of positive samples at 29%. Statistical analysis showed significant variations in the presence of T. gondii antibodies by species and state.
Significance
Understanding the prevalence of antibodies to T. gondii in equines is critical as these antibodies indicate the presence of the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, a common cause of parasitic infections that can pose health risks to humans. If infected meat is consumed, it can potentially transmit the parasite.
- These findings hold significant importance for health authorities, alerting them to potential health risks associated with ingesting equine meat, in light of the considerable prevalence of T. gondii antibodies found.
This study is noteworthy for being the first of its kind, looking into antibodies to T. gondii in mules and donkeys across these 4 northeastern states of Brazil.
Cite This Article
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- National Agricultural Library - LANAGRO-PE. Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply - MAPA. Rua Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n Dois Irmãos. Zip Code: 52.171-030 - Recife, PE, Brazil.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
- Brazil / epidemiology
- Equidae / parasitology
- Female
- Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / veterinary
- Male
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Sex Distribution
- Toxoplasma / immunology
- Toxoplasmosis, Animal / epidemiology
- Toxoplasmosis, Animal / immunology
- Toxoplasmosis, Animal / parasitology
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Stelzer S, Basso W, Benavides Silván J, Ortega-Mora LM, Maksimov P, Gethmann J, Conraths FJ, Schares G. Toxoplasma gondii infection and toxoplasmosis in farm animals: Risk factors and economic impact. Food Waterborne Parasitol 2019 Jun;15:e00037.
- Meng QF, Li D, Yao GZ, Zou Y, Cong W, Shan XF. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection and variables associated with seropositivity in donkeys in eastern China. Parasite 2018;25:66.
- Alvarado-Esquivel C, Alvarado-Esquivel D, Dubey JP. Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in domestic donkeys (Equus asinus) in Durango, Mexico slaughtered for human consumption. BMC Vet Res 2015 Jan 17;11:6.
- Mancianti F, Nardoni S, Papini R, Mugnaini L, Martini M, Altomonte I, Salari F, D'Ascenzi C, Dubey JP. Detection and genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in the blood and milk of naturally infected donkeys (Equus asinus). Parasit Vectors 2014 Apr 3;7:165.
- Machacova T, Bartova E, Di Loria A, Sedlak K, Mariani U, Fusco G, Fulgione D, Veneziano V, Dubey JP. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in donkeys (Equus asinus) in Italy. J Vet Med Sci 2014 Mar 1;76(2):265-7.
- Yang N, Mu MY, Yuan GM, Zhang GX, Li HK, He JB. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in slaughtered horses and donkeys in Liaoning province, northeastern China. Parasit Vectors 2013 May 16;6:140.
- Zhu Q, Khan MZ, Peng Y, Wang C. A Comparative Review of Donkey Genetic Resources, Production Traits, and Industrial Utilization: Perspectives from China and Globally. Animals (Basel) 2025 Nov 21;15(23).
