Towards an Integrated Approach for Monitoring Toxoplasmosis in Southern Italy
Open Access
- 30 June 2021
- Vol. 11 (7), 1949
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11071949
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a widespread worldwide zoonotic infection caused by the intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. This protozoan infection is considered one of the most important food-borne parasitic zoonoses globally. Beyond its impact on public health, toxoplasmosis has also important veterinary implications, because it causes miscarriage or congenital malformations in livestock with negative economic impacts. An integrated monitoring programme aimed to deepen the epidemiological data on toxoplasmosis and to identify the risk factors that may favour T. gondii infections in animals and humans was conducted in an endemic area of southern Italy. The monitoring activities were based on the following tasks: (i) parasitological analysis and risk factors for T. gondii in livestock (sheep, goat, cattle and water buffalo) farms; (ii) serological and molecular monitoring at slaughterhouse in meat-producing livestock; (iii) analysis of hospital discharge records (HDRs); (iv) outreach activities (information, dissemination and health education) to farmers, vet practitioners and school-age children. The present study confirmed a very high seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in livestock farms (e.g., up to 93.1% in sheep farms) in southern Italy and highlighted the potentially significant public health risk in this area.Keywords
Funding Information
- Campania Region, Italy (Control and reduction of toxoplasmosis in animals and humans- ToxoCamp)
This publication has 45 references indexed in Scilit:
- Seroprevalence ofToxoplasma gondiiin wild boars (Sus scrofa) from Central ItalyParasite, 2013
- Absolute quantification by droplet digital PCR versus analog real-time PCRNature Methods, 2013
- Seroprevalence and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii in sheep in Grosseto district, Tuscany, ItalyBMC Veterinary Research, 2013
- Seroprevalence of feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukaemia virus and Toxoplasma gondii in stray cat colonies in northern Italy and correlation with clinical and laboratory dataJournal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2012
- FLOTAC: new multivalent techniques for qualitative and quantitative copromicroscopic diagnosis of parasites in animals and humansNature Protocols, 2010
- Toxoplasma gondii infection in humans and animals in the United StatesInternational Journal for Parasitology, 2008
- Toxoplasma gondii in sheep from the Campania region (Italy)Veterinary Parasitology, 2007
- Toxoplasma gondii infections in sheep in Sicily, southern ItalyVeterinary Parasitology, 2007
- Toxoplasmosis – a waterborne zoonosisVeterinary Parasitology, 2004
- Isolation of Viable Toxoplasma gondii From Naturally Infected Aborted Bovine FetusesJournal of Parasitology, 2002