RESUMO
Toxoplasmosis occurs worldwide and is considered one of the most important food-borne parasitic zoonoses. The consumption of undercooked meat containing viable tissue cysts and ingestion of environmental oocyst are the most important sources of infection. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the spread of Toxoplasma gondii in the province of Bologna (Emilia-Romagna region) in northern Italy, with a One Health approach, comparing seropositivity rates in different animal species and in humans over the last 19 and 4 years respectively. Analyses were performed on serological data collected over different periods at three separate locations: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e della Emilia-Romagna (IZSLER); Veterinary University Hospital Clinical Pathology Service, Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna; and Unit of Microbiology, St. Orsola Hospital, Bologna. Most relevant seropositivity rates observed in animals were 15.5% (wild boar), 25% (roe deer), 18.7% (goat), 29.9% (sheep), 9.7% (pigs), 42.9% and 21.8% in cat and dog, respectively. A comprehensive screening was conducted on a population of 36,814 individuals, revealing a prevalence of 20.4%. Among pregnant women, a frequence of 0.39% for active toxoplasmosis was observed. Despite certain limitations, this study provided valuable insights into the extensive distribution of this parasitic infection among diverse animal species and human populations in the province of Bologna. These findings underscore the importance of implementing consistent and proactive toxoplasmosis screening protocols during pregnancy, while emphasizing the critical need for adopting a One Health approach for effective control of this parasitic disease.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance and define cut-offs for the interpretation of a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) stimulation test with a recombinant human TSH dose of 75 µg/dog administered intravenously in dogs with suspected hypothyroidism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study. Medical records of dogs presented for suspected hypothyroidism were retrospectively reviewed. Animals were included if a TSH stimulation test with a recombinant human TSH dose of 75 µg/dog was performed and follow-up was available. Dogs with a post-TSH serum total thyroxine (T4) level of ≥2.2 µg/dL were considered euthyroid. Dogs with a post-TSH T4 level of <2.2 µg/dL were classified as hypothyroid or euthyroid based on follow-up, including response to levothyroxine supplementation. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to define the performance of the test. RESULTS: One hundred and fourteen dogs were included. Forty were classified as hypothyroid and 74 as euthyroid. Post-TSH T4 cut-offs of 1.3 and 1.7 µg/dL showed sensitivities of 92.5 and 100% and specificities of 97.3 and 93.2%, respectively. Post-TSH T4 levels of >1.7 µg/dL had a negative predictive value of 100%. Post-TSH T4 levels of <1.3 µg/dL showed a positive predictive value of 94.9%. Area under the ROC curve for post-TSH T4 was 0.99. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: A TSH stimulation test performed with a recombinant human TSH dose of 75 µg/dog is highly reliable to discriminate between hypothyroid and euthyroid dogs, even in cases of concurrent non-thyroidal illness or administration of medications. A post-stimulation T4 concentration of >1.7 µg/dL is suggestive of normal thyroid function.
