Development of approaches for investigating the distribution of toxoplasma gondii infection in natural populations of animals and humans
type: CreativeWork
description: Toxoplasma gondii is a globally distributed protozoan parasite that infects humans and a wide variety of warm-blooded animals. Although there are many surveys for T. gondii infection in mammals, little is known about the detailed distribution in localised natural populations. In this study we investigated host genotype and spatial location in relation to T. gondii infection and genotypes. We collected wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) from 4 sampling sites within a localised peri-aquatic woodland ecosystem which is relatively free of cats. Mice were genotyped using standard A. sylvaticus microsatellite markers and T. gondii and its genotypes were detected using 5 specific PCR based markers: SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, B1 and GRA6 directly from infected tissue. Of 126 wood mice collected, 44 samples gave positive reactions with T. gondii specific markers giving an infection rate of 34.92% (95% CI: 27.14%-43.59%). A total of 24/76 (31.58%, 95% CI: 22.19%-42.74%) males and 20/50 (40%, 95% CI: 27.59%-53.84%) female mice were found to be positive for T. gondii with no significant difference (P = 0.353). Juvenile, young adults and adults were infected at similar prevalences, respectively, 7/17 (41.18%), 27/65 (41.54%) and 10/44 (22.72%) with no significant age-prevalence effect (P = 0.23). Detailed analysis of the RFLP patterns and the DNA sequences for the SAG2, SAG3 and GRA6 loci showed a range of genotypes but, surprisingly, suggested that 30/44 (68.2%) infected mice had multiple genotypes (mixed infections) present. Results of genetic analysis of the mice showed that the collection consists of four genetically distinct populations. There was a significant difference in T. gondii infection in the different mouse genotypically derived populations (P=0.035) but not between geographically defined populations based on sampling location (P=0.29). In a parallel study, DNA was successfully collected from 88 human lung tissue samples. All samples showed successful amplification of the hum…
abstract: Toxoplasma gondii is a globally distributed protozoan parasite that infects humans and a wide variety of warm-blooded animals. Although there are many surveys for T. gondii infection in mammals, little is known about the detailed distribution in localised natural populations. In this study we investigated host genotype and spatial location in relation to T. gondii infection and genotypes. We collected wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) from 4 sampling sites within a localised peri-aquatic woodland ecosystem which is relatively free of cats. Mice were genotyped using standard A. sylvaticus microsatellite markers and T. gondii and its genotypes were detected using 5 specific PCR based markers: SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, B1 and GRA6 directly from infected tissue. Of 126 wood mice collected, 44 samples gave positive reactions with T. gondii specific markers giving an infection rate of 34.92% (95% CI: 27.14%-43.59%). A total of 24/76 (31.58%, 95% CI: 22.19%-42.74%) males and 20/50 (40%, 95% CI: 27.59%-53.84%) female mice were found to be positive for T. gondii with no significant difference (P = 0.353). Juvenile, young adults and adults were infected at similar prevalences, respectively, 7/17 (41.18%), 27/65 (41.54%) and 10/44 (22.72%) with no significant age-prevalence effect (P = 0.23). Detailed analysis of the RFLP patterns and the DNA sequences for the SAG2, SAG3 and GRA6 loci showed a range of genotypes but, surprisingly, suggested that 30/44 (68.2%) infected mice had multiple genotypes (mixed infections) present. Results of genetic analysis of the mice showed that the collection consists of four genetically distinct populations. There was a significant difference in T. gondii infection in the different mouse genotypically derived populations (P=0.035) but not between geographically defined populations based on sampling location (P=0.29). In a parallel study, DNA was successfully collected from 88 human lung tissue samples. All samples showed successful amplification of the hum…
author: Bajnok, J
language: en
date published: 2026
date modified: 2026-07-24T04:26:38Z
provider: U. of Salford
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: U. of Salford