Toxoplasma gondii in the Eurasian kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) in northern Italy.
Biodiversity
Diet influence
Kestrels
Toxoplasma gondii
Wildlife
Journal
Parasites & vectors
ISSN: 1756-3305
Titre abrégé: Parasit Vectors
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101462774
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
19 May 2020
19 May 2020
Historique:
received:
20
02
2020
accepted:
12
05
2020
entrez:
21
5
2020
pubmed:
21
5
2020
medline:
30
1
2021
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Identifying factors that sustain parasite transmission is important for understanding their spread and emergence, including how changes in biodiversity may affect parasite prevalence and spread. Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite infecting humans and animals. Birds can acquire T. gondii infection through ingestion either of oocysts from the ground or of tissue cysts present in infected prey and are therefore suitable indicators of the presence of T. gondii in the natural environment. The aim of the study included the evaluation of T. gondii seroprevalence in clinically healthy Eurasian kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) using a modified agglutination test. Birds were captured in a small area of Parma (northern Italy) for two consecutive years (2016-2017), sex and age determined and serological study carried out. Food sources for the birds were also evaluated, in particular rodent and grasshopper population estimates in the study area. The biomass of rodents and grasshoppers per hectare was estimated in order to directly compare food availability. Statistical analyses were performed in order to evaluate factors influencing the probability of kestrels being T. gondii-seropositive using R 3.4.4 fitting linear mixed-effect models with the 'glmer' function of the package lme4, 'lsmean' in package lsmean for pair-wise post-hoc comparisons using differences of least square means (DLSM) and the 'betareg' function of the package betareg for beta regression. Seroprevalence for T. gondii was 33.3% (49/147) in 2016, while in 2017 seroprevalence decreased to 14.3% (13/91). An increase in the probability of kestrels being T. gondii-seropositive was associated with a higher rodent biomass in the environment, suggesting a positive feedback of the biotic factors driving infection risk. These results underline the need for multidisciplinary studies aimed at better understanding pathogen-host relationships and for predictions in disease ecology.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Identifying factors that sustain parasite transmission is important for understanding their spread and emergence, including how changes in biodiversity may affect parasite prevalence and spread. Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite infecting humans and animals. Birds can acquire T. gondii infection through ingestion either of oocysts from the ground or of tissue cysts present in infected prey and are therefore suitable indicators of the presence of T. gondii in the natural environment.
METHODS
METHODS
The aim of the study included the evaluation of T. gondii seroprevalence in clinically healthy Eurasian kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) using a modified agglutination test. Birds were captured in a small area of Parma (northern Italy) for two consecutive years (2016-2017), sex and age determined and serological study carried out. Food sources for the birds were also evaluated, in particular rodent and grasshopper population estimates in the study area. The biomass of rodents and grasshoppers per hectare was estimated in order to directly compare food availability. Statistical analyses were performed in order to evaluate factors influencing the probability of kestrels being T. gondii-seropositive using R 3.4.4 fitting linear mixed-effect models with the 'glmer' function of the package lme4, 'lsmean' in package lsmean for pair-wise post-hoc comparisons using differences of least square means (DLSM) and the 'betareg' function of the package betareg for beta regression.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Seroprevalence for T. gondii was 33.3% (49/147) in 2016, while in 2017 seroprevalence decreased to 14.3% (13/91). An increase in the probability of kestrels being T. gondii-seropositive was associated with a higher rodent biomass in the environment, suggesting a positive feedback of the biotic factors driving infection risk.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
These results underline the need for multidisciplinary studies aimed at better understanding pathogen-host relationships and for predictions in disease ecology.
Identifiants
pubmed: 32429990
doi: 10.1186/s13071-020-04134-x
pii: 10.1186/s13071-020-04134-x
pmc: PMC7236205
doi:
Substances chimiques
Antibodies, Protozoan
0
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
262Références
Int J Food Microbiol. 2015 Jun 2;202:54-6
pubmed: 25771511
PLoS One. 2015 Sep 25;10(9):e0138472
pubmed: 26405785
PLoS One. 2018 Feb 8;13(2):e0191956
pubmed: 29420544
PLoS One. 2011;6(12):e29549
pubmed: 22216311
Vet Parasitol. 2011 Nov 24;182(1):96-111
pubmed: 21824730
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Feb 17;106(7):2242-7
pubmed: 19164513
J Parasitol. 2010 Oct;96(5):937-9
pubmed: 20950101
Ecol Lett. 2006 Apr;9(4):485-98
pubmed: 16623733
Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl. 2018 Dec 24;8:111-117
pubmed: 30740303
J Wildl Dis. 2010 Apr;46(2):474-80
pubmed: 20688639
J Wildl Dis. 2008 Jan;44(1):172-3
pubmed: 18263835
J Eukaryot Microbiol. 2019 May;66(3):442-446
pubmed: 30203900
Vet Parasitol. 2002 Jun 3;106(2):121-53
pubmed: 12031816
Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis. 2018 Oct;60:42-45
pubmed: 30396429
Parasitology. 2016 Mar;143(3):314-9
pubmed: 26625933
Vet Parasitol. 2008 Nov 25;158(1-2):121-8
pubmed: 18922642
Parasitol Res. 2011 May;108(5):1163-9
pubmed: 21104273
J Zoo Wildl Med. 2014 Mar;45(1):197-9
pubmed: 24712186
Vet Parasitol. 2014 Jan 31;199(3-4):247-9
pubmed: 24295953
J Parasitol. 1997 Oct;83(5):870-82
pubmed: 9379292
Parasitol Res. 2018 Jul;117(7):2207-2215
pubmed: 29748713