MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY ON THE CIRCULATION OF PROTOZOAN TOXOPLASMA GONDII IN WILDLIFE FROM ROMANIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1199/30a0hf46Keywords:
T. gondii, wildlife, RomaniaAbstract
Toxoplasmosis is an important worldwide protozoan disease caused by coccidia belonging to the Toxoplasmidae family. The only species of the genus is Toxoplasma gondii, a significant zoonotic parasite that can cause severe illness in immunocompromised humans. It parasitizes various organs and tissues in over 350 species of vertebrates, making it perhaps the most widespread protozoan in this regard. Wild animals play a significant role in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis, particularly when contact with domestic animals is possible, through which humans can acquire infection with T. gondii. The aim of the study was to investigate the potential circulation of the protozoan T. gondii in wild hosts collected from various hunting grounds across eight counties in Romania. Tissue samples (heart, brain, liver, spleen, and muscle) from 96 animals, specifically 13 wild host species, were processed by artificial digestion with trypsin and analyzed by real-time PCR for parasite detection. Toxoplasma gondii was identified in 57.29% (55/96) of the examined wild animals. The present study provides important information on the circulation of T. gondii in Romania's wildlife and highlights the potential risk of human infection, especially in anthropized areas where domestic and wild animals may interact.References
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