Seroprevalence of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Wild Boar (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) and Korean Water Deer (<i>Hydropotes inermis argyropus</i>) in the Republic of Korea
<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> is a ubiquitous zoonotic parasite with a wide range of warm-blooded animals as intermediate hosts, where the transmission primarily occurs through ingesting <i>T. gondii</i> oocysts in the environment. Hence, animals inhabiting a wide geographical ran...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/24/3669 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846106214920880128 |
|---|---|
| author | Jusun Hwang Jisoo Kim Kidong Son Yongkwan Kim Hyesung Jeong Weonhwa Jheong |
| author_facet | Jusun Hwang Jisoo Kim Kidong Son Yongkwan Kim Hyesung Jeong Weonhwa Jheong |
| author_sort | Jusun Hwang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> is a ubiquitous zoonotic parasite with a wide range of warm-blooded animals as intermediate hosts, where the transmission primarily occurs through ingesting <i>T. gondii</i> oocysts in the environment. Hence, animals inhabiting a wide geographical range can be sentinels for the environmental contamination of <i>T. gondii</i> oocysts. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of <i>T. gondii</i> in two generalist ungulates in the Republic of Korea (ROK), wild boar (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) and Korean water deer (<i>Hydropotes inermis argyropus</i>), and identify the risk factors associated with this infection. Commercial ELISA kits confirmed a seroprevalence of 34.9% in wild boar (170/487, 95% CI: 30.7–39.3%) and 29.9% in Korean water deer (135/452, 95% CI: 25.7–34.3%). In both species, the seroprevalence was highest in winter, and showed no sex-related differences. In wild boars, the seroprevalence showed steep reduction in 2020 and increased with body mass. Meanwhile, in Korean water deer, seroprevalence did not show significant association with any of the tested variables, although an increase in seroprevalence was observed in 2020 compared to previous years. This study documents the widespread yet heterogeneous nature of <i>T. gondii</i> prevalence in its intermediate host population. Hence, the constant monitoring of <i>T. gondii</i> prevalence in its host species, both definitive and intermediate, while simultaneously considering risk factors would be necessary to identify the drivers behind the fluctuating pattern of <i>T. gondii</i> prevalence. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-81d193b0877a4ba4a0b28d96262843f0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-81d193b0877a4ba4a0b28d96262843f02024-12-27T14:05:51ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-12-011424366910.3390/ani14243669Seroprevalence of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Wild Boar (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) and Korean Water Deer (<i>Hydropotes inermis argyropus</i>) in the Republic of KoreaJusun Hwang0Jisoo Kim1Kidong Son2Yongkwan Kim3Hyesung Jeong4Weonhwa Jheong5National Wildlife Institute of Wildlife Disease Control and Prevention, 1, Songam-gil, Gwansan-gu, Gwangju 62407, Republic of KoreaNational Wildlife Institute of Wildlife Disease Control and Prevention, 1, Songam-gil, Gwansan-gu, Gwangju 62407, Republic of KoreaNational Wildlife Institute of Wildlife Disease Control and Prevention, 1, Songam-gil, Gwansan-gu, Gwangju 62407, Republic of KoreaNational Wildlife Institute of Wildlife Disease Control and Prevention, 1, Songam-gil, Gwansan-gu, Gwangju 62407, Republic of KoreaNational Wildlife Institute of Wildlife Disease Control and Prevention, 1, Songam-gil, Gwansan-gu, Gwangju 62407, Republic of KoreaNational Wildlife Institute of Wildlife Disease Control and Prevention, 1, Songam-gil, Gwansan-gu, Gwangju 62407, Republic of Korea<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> is a ubiquitous zoonotic parasite with a wide range of warm-blooded animals as intermediate hosts, where the transmission primarily occurs through ingesting <i>T. gondii</i> oocysts in the environment. Hence, animals inhabiting a wide geographical range can be sentinels for the environmental contamination of <i>T. gondii</i> oocysts. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of <i>T. gondii</i> in two generalist ungulates in the Republic of Korea (ROK), wild boar (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) and Korean water deer (<i>Hydropotes inermis argyropus</i>), and identify the risk factors associated with this infection. Commercial ELISA kits confirmed a seroprevalence of 34.9% in wild boar (170/487, 95% CI: 30.7–39.3%) and 29.9% in Korean water deer (135/452, 95% CI: 25.7–34.3%). In both species, the seroprevalence was highest in winter, and showed no sex-related differences. In wild boars, the seroprevalence showed steep reduction in 2020 and increased with body mass. Meanwhile, in Korean water deer, seroprevalence did not show significant association with any of the tested variables, although an increase in seroprevalence was observed in 2020 compared to previous years. This study documents the widespread yet heterogeneous nature of <i>T. gondii</i> prevalence in its intermediate host population. Hence, the constant monitoring of <i>T. gondii</i> prevalence in its host species, both definitive and intermediate, while simultaneously considering risk factors would be necessary to identify the drivers behind the fluctuating pattern of <i>T. gondii</i> prevalence.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/24/3669<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i>seroprevalencewild boarKorean water deer |
| spellingShingle | Jusun Hwang Jisoo Kim Kidong Son Yongkwan Kim Hyesung Jeong Weonhwa Jheong Seroprevalence of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Wild Boar (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) and Korean Water Deer (<i>Hydropotes inermis argyropus</i>) in the Republic of Korea Animals <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> seroprevalence wild boar Korean water deer |
| title | Seroprevalence of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Wild Boar (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) and Korean Water Deer (<i>Hydropotes inermis argyropus</i>) in the Republic of Korea |
| title_full | Seroprevalence of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Wild Boar (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) and Korean Water Deer (<i>Hydropotes inermis argyropus</i>) in the Republic of Korea |
| title_fullStr | Seroprevalence of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Wild Boar (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) and Korean Water Deer (<i>Hydropotes inermis argyropus</i>) in the Republic of Korea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seroprevalence of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Wild Boar (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) and Korean Water Deer (<i>Hydropotes inermis argyropus</i>) in the Republic of Korea |
| title_short | Seroprevalence of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Infection in Wild Boar (<i>Sus scrofa</i>) and Korean Water Deer (<i>Hydropotes inermis argyropus</i>) in the Republic of Korea |
| title_sort | seroprevalence of i toxoplasma gondii i infection in wild boar i sus scrofa i and korean water deer i hydropotes inermis argyropus i in the republic of korea |
| topic | <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> seroprevalence wild boar Korean water deer |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/24/3669 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jusunhwang seroprevalenceofitoxoplasmagondiiiinfectioninwildboarisusscrofaiandkoreanwaterdeerihydropotesinermisargyropusiintherepublicofkorea AT jisookim seroprevalenceofitoxoplasmagondiiiinfectioninwildboarisusscrofaiandkoreanwaterdeerihydropotesinermisargyropusiintherepublicofkorea AT kidongson seroprevalenceofitoxoplasmagondiiiinfectioninwildboarisusscrofaiandkoreanwaterdeerihydropotesinermisargyropusiintherepublicofkorea AT yongkwankim seroprevalenceofitoxoplasmagondiiiinfectioninwildboarisusscrofaiandkoreanwaterdeerihydropotesinermisargyropusiintherepublicofkorea AT hyesungjeong seroprevalenceofitoxoplasmagondiiiinfectioninwildboarisusscrofaiandkoreanwaterdeerihydropotesinermisargyropusiintherepublicofkorea AT weonhwajheong seroprevalenceofitoxoplasmagondiiiinfectioninwildboarisusscrofaiandkoreanwaterdeerihydropotesinermisargyropusiintherepublicofkorea |