Infection rate by TOXOPLASMA GONDII in free-range and broiler chickens in the states of Rio Grande do Norte and Paraíba, Brazil

Authors

  • Maria Cecilia Farias dos Santos Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Biosciences Center, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9052-5761
  • Ramayana Morais de Medeiros Brito Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Biosciences Center, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0611-6859
  • Ricardo Wagner de Almeida Vitor Federal University of Minas Gerais, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Parasitology, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8599-0474
  • Valter Ferreira de Andrade Neto Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9986-0865

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5216/rpt.v50i2.67508

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan that has a cosmopolitan geographic distribution and low specificity for intermediate hosts. Domestic chickens are among the most important hosts in toxoplasmosis epidemiology, since they are potential sources of infection for humans, in addition to indicating environmental contamination by protozoa. In this work, we studied the prevalence of T. gondii infection in chickens in different breeding systems from distinct mesoregions of Rio Grande do Norte and Paraiba States: broiler chickens from commercial farms and free-range chickens from small farms. Indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and ELISA techniques were used for detecting specific antibodies in blood samples from the birds. There were no seropositive samples among the broilers tested, indicating that intensive management limited the chances of infection for these animals. Among
the free-range chickens, the frequency of IgG anti-T. gondii  detected by IFAT and ELISA were 37.9% and 40.4% respectively. Among the seropositive samples by IFAT, 33 (27.1%) were positive at a dilution of 1:16; in 1:32, 31 (25.4%); in 1:64, 24 (19.7%); 15 (12.3%) in 1:128, and 19 presented titers greater than or equal to 1:256 (15.6%). The substantial concordance observed between IFAT and ELISA signifies these methods are effective methodologies for the diagnosis of avian toxoplasmosis. The high prevalence of specific antibodies among poultry in the studied region highlights the potential risk of T. gondii transmission to humans through consumption of infected meat.
KEY WORDS: Toxoplasma gondii; chicken infection; toxoplasmosis transmission; seroprevalence.

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Author Biography

Ramayana Morais de Medeiros Brito, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Biosciences Center, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.

Graduate Program in Parasitary Biology, Departament of Microbiology and Parasitology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.

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Published

2021-06-08

How to Cite

CECILIA FARIAS DOS SANTOS, M.; MORAIS DE MEDEIROS BRITO, R.; WAGNER DE ALMEIDA VITOR, R.; ANDRADE NETO, V. F. de . Infection rate by TOXOPLASMA GONDII in free-range and broiler chickens in the states of Rio Grande do Norte and Paraíba, Brazil. Revista de Patologia Tropical / Journal of Tropical Pathology, Goiânia, v. 50, n. 2, p. 135–149, 2021. DOI: 10.5216/rpt.v50i2.67508. Disponível em: https://revistas.ufg.br/iptsp/article/view/67508. Acesso em: 21 nov. 2024.

Issue

Vol. 50 No. 2 (2021)

Section

ORIGINAL ARTICLES

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