Liza Ogawa

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.

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.

Soroepidemiologia da toxoplasmose e avaliação ocular pela Tela de Amsler, em pacientes da zona rural, atendidos na unidade de saúde do município de Jaguapitã, PR, Brasil

In this study, we collected serum from 82 randomly selected patients from a rural area in Jaguapitã county, Paraná State. All sera were subjected to indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) to detect IgG antibodies against T. gondii. Serum titers >/=+ 16 were considered positive. Of the 82 evaluated sera, 68 (82.9%) were positive to toxoplasmosis and 14 (17.1%) were non-reactive. The most common titers found were 64 (23/33.8%) and 256 (16/23.5%), the highest titer being 4096 (8/11.8%). The 82 patients were also evaluated by the Amsler Grid test, with 22 (26.8%) patients presenting at least one alteration in this test. Masculinity was found to be a protection factor in the Amsler grid test (OR = 0.21 0.04 < OR < 0. 86 chi2 = 4,98 p = 0,02). There were no significant statistical differences related to the epidemiological investigation. We concluded that T. gondii has a wide distribution in the population studied.

Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. in feces and water and the associated exposure factors on dairy farms

The aims of this study were to verify the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. in animal feces and drinking water on dairy farms and to identify a possible relation between the exposure factors and the presence of these parasites. Fecal samples from cattle and humans and water samples were collected on dairy farms in Paraná, Brazil. Analysis of (oo)cysts in the feces was performed by the modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining and centrifugal flotation in zinc sulfate. Test-positive samples were subjected to nested PCR amplification of the 18SSU ribosomal RNA gene for identification of Cryptosporidium and Giardia and of the gp60 gene for subtyping of Cryptosporidium. Microbiological analysis of water was carried out by the multiple-tube method and by means of a chromogenic substrate, and parasitological analysis was performed on 31 samples by direct immunofluorescence and nested PCR of the genes mentioned above. Identification of the species of Cryptosporidium was performed by sequencing and PCR with analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphisms. The prevalence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium was higher in calves than in adults. Among the samples of cattle feces, Cryptosporidium parvum was identified in 41 (64%), C. ryanae in eight (12.5%), C. bovis in four (6.3%), C. andersoni in five (7.8%), and a mixed infection in 20 samples (31.3%). These parasites were not identified in the samples of human feces. Thermotolerant coliform bacteria were identified in 25 samples of water (45.5%). Giardia duodenalis and C. parvum were identified in three water samples. The gp60 gene analysis of C. parvum isolates revealed the presence of two strains (IIaA20G1R1 and IIaA17G2R2) in the fecal samples and one (IIaA17G2R1) in the water samples. The presence of coliforms was associated with the water source, structure and degradation of springs, rain, and turbidity. The prevalence of protozoa was higher in calves up to six months of age. C. parvum and G. duodenalis were identified in the water of dairy farms, as were thermotolerant coliforms; these findings point to the need for guidance on handling of animals, preservation of water sources, and water treatment.