Detection of Viable Toxoplasma gondii in Free-Range Pigs from the Special Nature Reserve of Zasavica

Kuruca Ljiljana; Klun Ivana; Uzelac Aleksandra; Nikolić Aleksandra; Bobić Branko; Simin Stanislav; Djurković-Djaković Olgica; Lalošević Vesna

doi:10.1515/contagri-2016-0010

Contemporary Agriculture (Dec 2016)

Detection of Viable Toxoplasma gondii in Free-Range Pigs from the Special Nature Reserve of Zasavica

Kuruca Ljiljana,
Klun Ivana,
Uzelac Aleksandra,
Nikolić Aleksandra,
Bobić Branko,
Simin Stanislav,
Djurković-Djaković Olgica,
Lalošević Vesna

Affiliations

Kuruca Ljiljana: Ljiljana Kuruca, DVM, MSc, Research Assistant, Stanislav Simin, DVM, MSc, Teaching Assistant, Vesna Lalošević, MD, PhD, Full Professor, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21 000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Klun Ivana: Ivana Klun, DVM, PhD, Research Assistant, Aleksandra Uzelac, MSc, Research Assistant, Aleksandra Nikolić, MD, PhD, Professor of Research, Branko Bobić, MD, PhD, Professor of Research, Olgica Djurković-Djaković, MD, PhD, Professor of Research, University of Belgrade, Institute for Medical Research, Department of Medical Parasitology - Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-borne Zoonoses, National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Dr. Subotića 4, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia
Uzelac Aleksandra: Ivana Klun, DVM, PhD, Research Assistant, Aleksandra Uzelac, MSc, Research Assistant, Aleksandra Nikolić, MD, PhD, Professor of Research, Branko Bobić, MD, PhD, Professor of Research, Olgica Djurković-Djaković, MD, PhD, Professor of Research, University of Belgrade, Institute for Medical Research, Department of Medical Parasitology - Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-borne Zoonoses, National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Dr. Subotića 4, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia
Nikolić Aleksandra: Ivana Klun, DVM, PhD, Research Assistant, Aleksandra Uzelac, MSc, Research Assistant, Aleksandra Nikolić, MD, PhD, Professor of Research, Branko Bobić, MD, PhD, Professor of Research, Olgica Djurković-Djaković, MD, PhD, Professor of Research, University of Belgrade, Institute for Medical Research, Department of Medical Parasitology - Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-borne Zoonoses, National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Dr. Subotića 4, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia
Bobić Branko: Ivana Klun, DVM, PhD, Research Assistant, Aleksandra Uzelac, MSc, Research Assistant, Aleksandra Nikolić, MD, PhD, Professor of Research, Branko Bobić, MD, PhD, Professor of Research, Olgica Djurković-Djaković, MD, PhD, Professor of Research, University of Belgrade, Institute for Medical Research, Department of Medical Parasitology - Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-borne Zoonoses, National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Dr. Subotića 4, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia
Simin Stanislav: Ljiljana Kuruca, DVM, MSc, Research Assistant, Stanislav Simin, DVM, MSc, Teaching Assistant, Vesna Lalošević, MD, PhD, Full Professor, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21 000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Djurković-Djaković Olgica: Ivana Klun, DVM, PhD, Research Assistant, Aleksandra Uzelac, MSc, Research Assistant, Aleksandra Nikolić, MD, PhD, Professor of Research, Branko Bobić, MD, PhD, Professor of Research, Olgica Djurković-Djaković, MD, PhD, Professor of Research, University of Belgrade, Institute for Medical Research, Department of Medical Parasitology - Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-borne Zoonoses, National Reference Laboratory for Toxoplasmosis, Dr. Subotića 4, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia
Lalošević Vesna: Ljiljana Kuruca, DVM, MSc, Research Assistant, Stanislav Simin, DVM, MSc, Teaching Assistant, Vesna Lalošević, MD, PhD, Full Professor, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21 000 Novi Sad, Serbia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/contagri-2016-0010
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 65, no. 3-4
pp. 1 – 6

Abstract

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Toxoplasma gondii is considered one of the most successful parasites of humans and animals. The ingestion of viable cysts through the consumption of undercooked pork is recognized as a significant route of human infection with T. gondii. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of viable parasite in tissues of free-range pigs from the Zasavica Special Nature Reserve. All pigs were of the Mangulica breed, raised in a traditional way. The serological screening was performed using a modified agglutination test (MAT). The isolation of viable T. gondii was attempted by a bioassay of pig heart tissue in mice, while the real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) targeted at the 529 bp repetitive element of T. gondii was used to detect parasitic DNA in digested hearts. Specific antibodies were detected in 12 out of 18 pigs examined. The bioassay was performed for five MAT-positive and one MAT-negative pig, and a total of three isolates were obtained. qPCR was performed for all samples, including one MAT-negative sample that was not bioassayed. The presence of T. gondii DNA was confirmed in all hearts with a positive bioassay as well as in one originating from seropositive and one from seronegative pig whose hearts were not bioassayed. The successful isolation of viable cysts, presence of risk factors (such as older age at the time of slaughter) and increased contact with the environment, along with the great appreciation of Serbian consumers towards home-cured Mangulica’s meat, make this breed worthy of consideration as a potentially important reservoir of human infection.

Published in Contemporary Agriculture

ISSN: 2466-4774 (Online)
Publisher: Sciendo
Country of publisher: Poland
LCC subjects: Agriculture
Website: https://sciendo.com/journal/CONTAGRI

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