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An Investigation Into the Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma

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An Investigation Into the Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma Epidemiol. Infect. (2013), 141, 1029–1033. f Cambridge University Press 2012 This is a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. doi:10.1017/S0950268812001707 An investigation into the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii, Bartonella spp., feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) in cats in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia N. TIAO 1, C. DARRINGTON1, B. MOLLA1,W.J.A.SAVILLE1,G.TILAHUN2, O. C. H. KWOK 3, W.A. GEBREYES1, M.R. LAPPIN4,J.L.JONES5, J.P. DUBEY3* 1 Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA 2 Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 3 United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Parasite Biology, Epidemiology and Systematics Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, USA 4 Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA 5 Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA Received 4 April 2012; Final revision 4 June 2012; Accepted 11 July 2012; first published online 2 August 2012 SUMMARY Toxoplasma gondii and Bartonella spp. are zoonotic pathogens of cats. Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) are immunosuppressive viruses of cats that can affect T. gondii oocyst shedding. In this study, the prevalence of antibodies to T. gondii, Bartonella spp., FIV, as well as FeLV antigens were determined in sera from feral cats (Felis catus) from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Using the modified agglutination test, IgG antibodies to T. gondii were found in 41 (85.4%) of the 48 cats with titres of 1:25 in one, 1:50 in one, 1:200 in six, 1:400 in six, 1:800 in six, 1:1600 in eight, and 1:3200 in 13 cats. Toxoplasma gondii IgM antibodies were found in 11/46 cats tested by ELISA, suggesting recent infection. Antibodies to Bartonella spp. were found in five (11%) of 46 cats tested. Antibodies to FIV or FeLV antigen were not detected in any of the 41 cats tested. The results indicate a high prevalence of T. gondii and a low prevalence of Bartonella spp. infection in cats in Ethiopia. Key words: Bartonella, cats, epidemiology, Ethiopia, humans, Toxoplasma gondii. INTRODUCTION low in Asia. Fragmentary reports indicate a high incidence of T. gondii infections in Africa [1]. Toxoplasmosis, caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma Toxoplasmosis is usually asymptomatic in immuno- gondii, is a worldwide zoonosis [1]. In general its competent adults, but can cause mortality in the seroprevalence is very high in South America and very young and the immunocompromised. Many patients infected with human immunodeficiency * Author for correspondence: Dr J. P. Dubey, APDL, ANRI, virus (HIV) who are untreated die of toxoplasmosis. BARC, Building 1001, USDA, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA. (Email: [email protected]) This is of particular concern in many African Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.34.90, on 03 Oct 2021 at 09:45:49, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268812001707 1030 N. Tiao and others countries because of the high prevalence of HIV and MATERIALS AND METHODS lack of resources to manage it. Naturally infected cats surveyed Humans and animals become infected with T. gondii mostly by ingesting uncooked meat of The cats surveyed were from the Addis Ababa area. infected animals or by ingesting soil, food or water Addis Ababa is the dense urban capital city of contaminated with oocysts. Cats are essential in the Ethiopia with an estimated population of 3 million in life cycle of T. gondii because they are the only 2010. It experiences generally two main climates: the hosts that can excrete the environmentally resistant dry season between October and June and the oocysts in nature. Prevalence of T. gondii anti- rainy season between July and September. A total of bodies varies with age, lifestyle of the cat (stray vs. 48 feral cats were used in this study. The cats were pet), the serological test utilized, the screening acquired by volunteers during the entire 2011 rainy dilution, and other undefined factors. In general, season. The study was endorsed by the appropriate infection in cats increases with age and the preva- bodies of the Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology lence is higher in stray cats. Infected cats can shed (ALIPB). Thirty-one of the cats were from the millions of oocysts in a matter of a few days, and subcity of Lideta (latitude 9x1k21.8496a N, longitude after sporulation oocysts can survive in the en- 38x44k48.4764a E) of Addis Ababa, which is where vironment for months or even years depending on ALIPB is located. Twenty-eight cats were female and the moisture and ambient temperature. Cats are 20 were male. Age was estimated by dental maturity, thought to become infected by ingesting infected status and health; 41 of 48 cats were aged o6 months prey, often soon after they begin to hunt. Cats (adults). Most cats had fleas but appeared to be in usually shed oocysts only for a short time and once good physical condition. in their life. However, poor nutrition, concurrent Blood was collected from either a jugular or infections, and immunosuppression may affect the a femoral vein after mild sedation following the immune status of the cat and lead to increased guidelines of the local institutional Animal Care oocyst shedding. Policies. The serum was separated and kept cold Cats have been shown by culture or DNA amplifi- during air transport to the Animal Parasitic Diseases cation to be infected by a number of Bartonella Laboratory (APDL), Beltsville, Maryland; 3 days spp. [2–7]. Bartonella henselae, B. clarridgeiae, and elapsed between collection of sera and transport B. koehlerae are transmitted among cats by the cat to APDL. Sera were subsequently stored at x20 xC flea, Ctenocephalides felis. B. henselae is the main until assayed. aetiological agent associated with cat scratch disease in immunocompetent people, as well as bacillary Testing for T. gondii antibodies angiomatosis and peliosis hepatis which are com- mon disorders in people with AIDS. Bartonella spp. All cat sera were initially tested for T. gondii IgG infections have also been associated with a antibodies at 1:25, 1:50, 1:100, 1:200, 1:400, 1:800, number of other chronic disease syndromes in im- 1:1600 and 1:3200 dilutions using the modified munocompetent people [8]. B. quintana is known to agglutination test (MAT) as described previously [11]. be present in lice in Ethiopia [9] and in addition, C. felis A cut-off point of 1:25 dilution was used as indicative has been reported in the country [10]. Thus, while of T. gondii infection [1]. This MAT detects only IgG prevalence of Bartonella spp. infections of cats has antibodies because the mercaptoethanol used in the not been reported, there is potential for these infec- test destroys both specific and non-specific IgM. tions to exist. Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a retro- Examination for T. gondii IgM and concurrent virus related to HIV, and is known to cause infections immunosuppression in some cats, depending on the stage of infection. Feline leukaemia virus After MAT testing at APDL, leftover serum from (FeLV), is related to human T-lymphocytic virus, the cats were shipped to the Colorado State and can also cause immunosuppression in cats. Here University (CSU), Fort Collins, Colorado, USA we investigated serological prevalence of T. gondii, and stored at x80 xC until assayed for T. gondii Bartonella spp., and FIV and FeLV infections in cats IgM antibodies, Bartonella spp. antibodies, FIV in Ethiopia for the first time. antibodies and FeLV antigens at CSU. T. gondii Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.34.90, on 03 Oct 2021 at 09:45:49, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268812001707 Toxoplasma infection in Ethiopian cats 1031 Table 1. Serological examination of cats for T. gondii, Bartonella, FIV, and FeLV infections No. of positive cats Cats tested for: No. IgG IgM Bartonella FIV FeLV T. gondii IgG, IgM, Bartonella, 41 37 11 4 0 0 FIV, FeLV T. gondii IgG, IgM, Bartonella 5301 T. gondii IgG only 2 1 Total 48 41 11 5 0 0 IgM antibodies were assayed as described pre- None of the 41 cats tested were positive for FeLV viously [12]. Bartonella spp. IgG antibodies in or FIV, and the negativity was not related to the age serum were detected using a previously reported of the cat (Tables 1, 2). technique with a titre of <1:64 considered negative [13]. While this assay uses B. henselae as the cap- ture antigen, it appears to detect antibodies against DISCUSSION B. clarridgeiae,andB. koehlerae; the lowest positive A high percentage of cats in the present study had titre is defined as 1:64 [13]. It is unknown whether T. gondii antibodies. The cats that we sampled rep- antibodies against B. quintana are detected. Forty- resented both young and old cats, and both genders. six of the 48 cats were tested for T. gondii IgM All four 2-month-old cats were seronegative at 1:25 and Bartonella spp. antibodies (Table 1). Forty-one dilution; the low titre of 1:5 in two of these kittens of the 48 cat sera were assayed for FeLV antigen was probably a result of colostrally acquired T. gondii and FIV antibodies (Table 1) using a commercial antibodies.
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