Italmar Teodorico Navarro

Soroprevalência do toxoplasma gondii, em suínos, bovinos, ovinos e eqüinos, e sua correlação com humanos, felinos e caninos, oriundos de propriedades rurais do norte do Paraná-Brasil

Toxoplasma gondii the agent causing toxoplasmosis has a worldwide distribution. In the present study we attempt to determine the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in food animals and horses from farms in Jaguapita county. IgG antibody were detected using indirect immunofluorescence. Titers higher or equal to 1:64 were considered reactive. We found prevalence rates of 24% (267) for swine, 25.8% (400) for bovine , 51.8% (228) for ovine samples, and 12.1% (173) for equine. Seropositivity increased with age in sheeps and pigs, there were no gender differences in the species studied. There was a positive and significant correlation between human and feline (r= 0.64 p=0.05), human and canine (r=0.78 p=0.01), canine and swine (r=0.96 p=0.0001), bovine and ovine (r=0.82 p=0.006), bovine and equine (r=0.89 p=0.001), and ovine and equine (r=0.92 p=0.0004) titers. These results suggest that carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores are exposed to the same sources of transmission. Toxoplasmosis has a high prevalence on the studied population. Our results suggest that raw or rare cooked meat may an important way of transmiting toxoplasmosis to humans in this region.

Soroprevalência, epidemiologia e avaliação ocular da toxoplasmose humana na zona rural de Jaguapitã (Paraná), Brasil

A toxoplasmose e uma protozoonose de distribuicao mundial, que pode infectar uma grande variedade de especies. No presente estudo, avaliou-se a presenca de toxoplasmose em 345 moradores da zona rural do Municipio de Jaguapita, Estado do Parana, Brasil. A frequencia dos titulos nas amostras de soro humano foi comparada com a frequencia dos titulos encontrados em 1 420 amostras de diversas especies animais com as quais os moradores da regiao tinham contato. A prevalencia de anticorpos anti-Toxoplasma gondii foi de 66% entre a populacao do estudo (reacao de imunofluorescencia indireta). Foram considerados positivos os titulos maiores ou iguais a 16. O maior titulo encontrado foi de 65 536 (1%) e os titulos mais frequentes foram de 256 (29%) e 1024 (19%). A comparacao entre seres humanos e animais revelou uma correlacao positiva e significativa entre a distribuicao dos titulos de anticorpos de humanos e felinos (r = 0,78; P = 0,01) e de humanos e caninos (r = 0,64; P= 0,05). Os participantes do estudo foram tambem testados pela tela de Amsler, sendo que 22% deles (75/345) relataram algum tipo de alteracao ocular; destas pessoas, 77% (58/75) foram sororreagentes a toxoplasmose. Quarenta e uma das 58 pessoas foram encaminhadas para exame oftalmico de fundo de olho. Neste grupo, 22% dos pacientes (9/41) apresentaram lesoes caracteristicas de coriorretinite cicatrizada, sugestivas de toxoplasmose ocular (idade entre 34 e 78 anos). Nenhum paciente apresentou processo inflamatorio. Dentre seis pacientes (67%) com lesoes unilaterais, quatro apresentaram titulo de anticorpos de 256. O inquerito epidemiologico revelou que os individuos sororreagentes tinham 2,06 vezes mais possibilidades de apresentarem problemas oculares do que os nao reagentes. Neste sentido, nao foram verificadas diferencas significativas com relacao a sexo, contato com animais, consumo de carne crua ou mal passada e leite cru e abate de animais para consumo proprio. Os resultados sugerem que a toxoplasmose esta amplamente distribuida na regiao, com significativa incidencia de lesoes oculares provocadas pelo Toxoplasma gondii. E recomendavel um maior controle por parte das autoridades sanitarias, visando diminuir o risco de infecao toxoplasmica, principalmente entre gestantes.

Soroepidemiologia da toxoplasmose em gatos e cães de propriedades rurais do município de Jaguapitã, estado do Paraná, Brasil

The present study was designed to stablish the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in cats and dogs from a rural area of the Jaguapita county, Parana state, Antibodies against-Toxoplasma gondii were detected by indirect immuno-fluorescence test. Titers than 1:16 were considered positive. A prevalence rate of 73% and 84.1% was observed for cats and dogs respectively . There was no difference related to sender. The most frequent titer in cats was 1:4096 (28.6%), whereas the highest titer found was 1:65536 (0.8%). There was a statistical significant increase in seropositivity with age. The most common titers in dogs was 1:64 (38.4%), whereas the highest titer was 1:4096 (1.9%). There was a decrease in seropositivity in dogs with less than 8 of age. There was no significant correlation in the distribuition of titers between dogs and cats. Based on our data we conclude that T. gondii is widely distributed in dogs and cats from this region.

Factors associated with seropositivity for anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in pregnant women of Londrina, Paraná, Brazil

The aim of this study was to evaluate associations between seropositivity for IgG and IgM anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies and socio-economic and environmental variables in pregnant women of Londrina, state of Paraná, Brazil. We interviewed 492 pregnant women, each of whom answered an epidemiological questionnaire, and collected blood samples for measurement of IgG and IgM anti-T. gondii antibodies by chemiluminescence. A confirmatory diagnosis of acute infection was made by an IgG avidity test. Titres of specific IgG anti-T. gondii were obtained by IFAT. Seropositivity for IgG anti-T. gondii antibodies was observed in 242 women (49.2%) and, of these, six pregnant women (1.2%) showed seropositivity for IgM. Age group, level of education, per capita income, presence of a cat in the house and a habit of eating green vegetables were all factors associated with a greater chance of infection with T. gondii. This study showed that 250 (50.8%) pregnant women were susceptible to T. gondii and considered to be at high risk for toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. Based on the results obtained, is critical to establish a program of health surveillance for toxoplasmosis, in order to contribute to diagnosis and early treatment during the prenatal period. It is also necessary to introduce measures to prevent the Toxoplasma infection in seronegative pregnant women.

Toxoplasma gondii infection in pregnancy

Toxoplasmosis is caused by an intracellular protozoan, Toxoplasma gondii, which has a wide geographical distribution. The main infection routes are ingestion of cysts from raw or badly-cooked meat, ingestion of oocysts from substrates contaminated with the feces of infected felines and congenital transmission by tachyzoites. The congenital form results in a severe systemic disease, because if the mother is infected for the first time during gestation, she can present a temporary parasitemia that will infect the fetus. Many of the clinical symptoms are seen in congenitally-infected children, from a mild disease to serious signs, such as mental retardation. Early diagnosis during the pregnancy is highly desirable, allowing prompt intervention in cases of infection, through treatment of pregnant women, reducing the probability of fetal infection and consequent substantial damage to the fetus. Conventional tests for establishment of a fetal diagnosis of toxoplasmosis include options from serology to PCR. Prevention of human toxoplasmosis is based on care to avoid infection, understanding the disease and serological exams during gestation. Pregnant women should be tested serologically from three months gestation, until one month after childbirth. Inclusion of serology for congenital toxoplasmosis along with the basic Guthrie test for PKU is of fundamental importance for early diagnosis of infection and so that treatment is initiated, in order to avoid possible sequels in the infant.

Seroepidemiology and occupational and environmental variables for leptospirosis, brucellosis and toxoplasmosis in slaughterhouse workers in the Paraná State, Brazil

Leptospirosis, brucellosis and toxoplasmosis are widely-distributed zoonosis, being the man an accidental participant of their epidemiological chains. The aim of this paper was to make a seroepidemiological report and identify occupational and environmental variables related to these illnesses in 150 workers in a slaughterhouse in the Northern region of Paraná. For the diagnosis of leptospirosis a microscopical seroagglutination test was applied; for brucellosis, the tamponated acidified antigen test and the 2-mercaptoetanol tests were used, and for toxoplasmosis the indirect immunofluorescence reaction test. For each employee an epidemiological survey was filled, which investigated occupational and environmental variables which could be associated with these infections. Positive results for leptospirosis were found in 4.00% of the samples, for brucellosis in 0.66% of samples and toxoplasmosis in 70.00%. From the three diseases researched, only the results for leptospirosis suggest occupational infection.

Occurrence of antibodies to Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii in dairy cattle from the northern region of the Paraná State, Brazil

Three-hundred and eighty-five serum samples were taken from dairy cows on 90 farms in 12 counties from the northern region of the Parana State, Brazil. The samples were analyzed by IFAT for the detection of anti-Neospora caninum and anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG antibodies. Forty-five (12%) samples were seropositive to N. caninum, while 102 (26%) samples were seropositive to T. gondii. Only four animals were seropositive to both coccidia. No significant difference was observed between the N. caninum serology and any of the variables studied, such as dairy cattle management, milk production, reproductive problems, feeding, and presence of dogs, cats and rodents. These data suggest that neosporosis is present among dairy cattle in the studied geographic region and the simultaneous detection of serum positive animals to both types of coccidian parasite demonstrates the independent occurrence of these coccidia in dairy cows.

SEROPREVALENCE OF Toxoplasma gondii IN BACK YARD CHICKEN (Gallus gallus domesticus) FROM RURAL PROPERTIES IN NORTH REGION OF PARANÁ STATE, BRAZIL

O Toxoplasma gondii e um protozoario que pode infectar todos os animais homeotermicos. No presente trabalho, verificou-se a ocorrencia de anticorpos anti-T. gondii em galinhas de criacoes domesticas (fundo de quintal), oriundas de propriedades rurais localizadas no municipio de Jaguapita, Estado do Parana, Brasil. Estudos previos demostraram que o parasita esta amplamente disseminado nas diferentes especies de animais domesticos, de companhia e no homem nessas mesmas propriedades. Os soros foram submetidos a reacao de Imunofluorescencia Indireta, sendo a positividade considerada para aqueles titulos maiores ou iguais a 16. Foram estudados 155 soros , sendo que 16 (10,3%) foram reagentes a toxoplasmose, e 139 (89,7%) nao reagentes. Os titulos mais frequentes foram de 64 (5/31,2%), 16 e 1024 (ambos com 4/25%) e o maior titulo encontrado foi de 1024 (4/25%). A soroprevalencia do T. gondii nao foi influenciada pelo sexo da ave (Exato de Fisher p = 0,12), pela finalidade da criacao (corte ou postura, Exato de Fisher p = 0,39), pela percentagem de felinos sororeagentes na propriedade (r = -0,19 p = 0,27), nem pelo numero de felinos sororeagentes (r = -0,09 p = 0,60). Atraves do presente trabalho, demostrou-se uma ocorrencia elevada da resposta sorologica ao T. gondii em aves domesticas oriundas de propriedades rurais neste municipio, consequentemente esses animais podem representar risco de infeccao para o homem e para outros animais quando consumidos crus ou mal cozidos.

Cougar Predation on Black-and-Gold Howlers on Mutum Island, Southern Brazil1

Researchers consider predation rates by terrestrial animals to be lower in the case of arboreal primates, particularly among large-bodied species. We recorded the consumption of black-and-gold howlers (Alouatta caraya) by cougars (Puma concolor) as evidence of predation on an island of the upper Paraná River. We collected and processed fecal samples of the felid in 2004 and 2005. We identified items in the laboratory by comparison with museum specimens. We considered each species in a fecal sample as a single occurrence. Based on analysis of the cuticle scale pattern, we identified the felid as cougar. Howlers occurred in 4 out of the 8 fecal samples (40% of the occurrences). In addition to howlers, we also recorded 5 occurrences of agouti (Dasyprocta azarae; 50%) and a small unidentified sigmodontine rodent (10%). The abundance of howlers and the low forest canopy in a successional vegetation might have facilitated the predation of the large primates by a primarily terrestrial predator. The versatility of cougars is corroborated by the consumption of prey species that were abundant in the region and that were available in different forest strata, such as howlers and agoutis.

Enteroparasites prevalence among daycare and elementary school children of municipal schools, Rolândia, PR, Brazil

Coproparasitological analyses were performed on 191 daycare children and 434 elementary school children from urban and rural areas in Rolândia, Parana State, Brazil. The overall prevalence of enteroparasites was 15.2 % for daycare children and 52.5% for elementary school children. Risk factors are discussed.