Parasitological and molecular investigation of Toxoplasma gondii in urine and saliva of experimentally infected cats (Felis catus)

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v9i7.5143

Keywords:

Cats; Immunofluorescence; Protozoan; Toxoplasmosis.

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the presence of Toxoplasma gondii in urine and saliva samples collected from experimentally infected cats, an unprecedented fact in consulted literature. Six felines, males, serologically negative (IgG) for T. gondii were selected and divided into two experimental groups. Four cats were inoculated with 2x105 tachyzoites (RH strain) (Group I), and two cats were kept as control group (Group II). Before inoculation (days -7 and 0) and on the 7th, 14th, 21th, 28th, 42th, 56th and 70th post inoculation days (PID), all animals were anesthetized with tiletamine hydrochloride and zolazepam (dosage of 15 mg/Kg) for sampling of urine, saliva and blood. Detection of serological titers was performed by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and the detection of the protozoan in the bloodstream of cats (parasitemia) was performed by mouse bioassay. The detection of T. gondii in urine and saliva samples was performed using nested PCR and mouse bioassay. All cats inoculated with T. gondii (GI) seroconverted, different from felines of the GII (control), which remained negative throughout the study. T. gondii parasitemia was diagnosed in all cats in group I, totaling five events between the 7th and 42nd PID. It was not possible to detect T. gondii in urine and saliva from infected and control group with nested PCR or mouse bioassay. It was observed that felines experimentally infected with tachyzoites of the strain RH (isolate I) of T. gondii, may not eliminate infectious forms of the parasite through urine and saliva.

Author Biography

Weslen Fabricio Pires Teixeira, Universidade Federal de Goiás

Graduado em Medicina Veterinária pela Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias de Andradina, SP (2008); Mestre em Ciência Animal pela Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) campus Araçatuba, SP (2010); Doutor em Medicina Veterinária Preventiva pela Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) campus Jaboticabal, SP (2014). Pós-doutor pela Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) campus de Araçatuba, SP (2017). Atualmente é professor Visitante na Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da Universidade Federal de Goiás, Campus Samambaia, localizado em Goiânia, onde é professor colaborador em diferentes disciplinas na graduação (Enfermidades infecciosas, Doenças Parasitárias, Saúde Pública e Epidemiologia). Ainda na referida universidade, orienta e co-orienta dissertações e teses nas áreas de enfermidade infecciosas e parasitárias. Possui experiência nas seguintes áreas: Padronização de técnicas imunológicas de diagnóstico; Tratamento e controle de enfermidades parasitárias dos animais domésticos; Pesquisa e desenvolvimento de antiparasitários de uso veterinário; Diagnóstico de enfermidades parasitárias dos animais domésticos.

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Published

16/06/2020

How to Cite

TEIXEIRA, W. F. P.; TOZATO, M. E. G.; VITAL, G. P.; LOPES, W. D. Z.; JOAQUIM, S. F.; VASCONCELLOS, A. L. de; FÁVERO, F. C.; PASCOAL, L. M.; FELIPPELLI, G.; LANGONI, H.; BRESCIANI, K. D. S.; COSTA, A. J. da. Parasitological and molecular investigation of Toxoplasma gondii in urine and saliva of experimentally infected cats (Felis catus). Research, Society and Development, [S. l.], v. 9, n. 7, p. e923975143, 2020. DOI: 10.33448/rsd-v9i7.5143. Disponível em: https://rsdjournal.org/index.php/rsd/article/view/5143. Acesso em: 26 apr. 2024.

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 7

Section

Agrarian and Biological Sciences

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