High seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Slovenian wild boars (Sus scrofa)

Bandelj, Petra (avtor), Žele-Vengušt, Diana (avtor), Blagus, Rok (avtor), Vergles-Rataj, Aleksandra (avtor), Krt, Branko (avtor)

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite of great public health concern. Wild boars could be considered an emerging source of toxoplasmosis in humans due to the popularity of venison and their increasing population. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii in the Slovenian wild boar population and evaluate risk factors for human infection. Of 353 samples, 62% were positive for T. gondii using ELISA tests. This is the highest T. gondii seroprevalence reported to date in wild boar worldwide. The increase in prevalence with increasing age (p = 0.003) and weight (p = 0.002) were statistically significant, whereas gender was not (p = 0.781). Odds for being T. gondii-positive increased with age with the largest difference being between 2–3-year-old and 1–2-year-old animals (OR = 2.66, 95%CI: 1.03–6.85). Animals weighing 20–40 kg had a higher risk than animals weighing 0–20 kg (OR = 2.74, 95%CI: 1.21–6.20), whereas a further increase in the weight was not associated with increasing the odds. Due to the high Toxoplasma prevalence, the study concluded that the risk of exposure to T. gondii from handling raw or undercooked wild boar meat is high. Surveillance protocols should be established at the national level together with increased awareness within the hunting community.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: wild boar, Toxoplasma gondii, zoonosis, game meat, ELISA
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: VF - Veterinarska fakulteta ; MF - Medicinska fakulteta ; FŠ - Fakulteta za šport
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2021
• Št. strani: 8 str.
• Številčenje: Vol. 11, iss. 11, art. 3139
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-136420
• UDK: 59
• ISSN pri članku: 2076-2615
• DOI: 10.3390/ani11113139
• COBISS.SI-ID: 83251203
• Datum objave v RUL: 03.05.2022

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Animals
• Skrajšan naslov: Animals
• Založnik: MDPI AG
• ISSN: 2076-2615
• COBISS.SI-ID: 519120409

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.
• Začetek licenciranja: 03.11.2021

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: divji prašič, Toxoplasma gondii, zoonoza

Projekti

• Financer: ARRS - Agencija za raziskovalno dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: P4-0092
• Naslov: Zdravje živali, okolje in varna hrana

• Financer: Drugi - Drug financer ali več financerjev
• Program financ.: Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for Food Safety, Veterinary Sector and Plant Protection