Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among small mammals in Tatarstan, Russian Federation.

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite with a wide host range that includes humans, domestic animals and wild animals. Small mammals serve as intermediate hosts for T. gondii and may contribute to the persistence of this parasite in the environment. Mass mortality in wild animals and deaths in rare endemic species make the study of this parasite of growing importance. In this study, T. gondii infection prevalence was evaluated in brain tissues from 474 small mammals captured at 26 trapping points in urban and rural areas of Tatarstan, Russian Federation. Nested PCR was used to detect the T. gondii B1 gene in the samples. Overall, 40/474 samples (8.44%) showed B1 gene positivity. T. gondii infection among the wild small mammals trapped in the rural area was significantly higher as a whole than that of the urban area as a whole. Multivariate logistical regression analysis also showed that the trapping area (rural or urban) significantly contributed to T. gondii positivity. Vegetation in the trapping points, small mammal species, sex, age or distance from the trapping points to the nearest human settlements did not significantly affect T. gondii positivity in the sampled small mammals.

Initial multi-target approach shows importance of improved caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus control program in Russia for hobbyist goat farms.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Several reports described the detection of specific caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus (CAEV) antibodies in Russian goat populations, which indicates the circulation of CAEV in Russian goat farms. The aim of this study was to use a multi-target approach to testing with both serological tests and an in-house real-time (RT) molecular test to investigate the prevalence of CAEV in goats from three hobbyist farms in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We applied a multi-target approach to testing with both enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and an in-house RT polymerase chain reaction test to investigate the prevalence of CAEV in goats. Animals from the three hobbyist farms were used in this study. The animals from two farms (n=13 for F1 and n=8 for F2) had clinical signs of arthritis and mastitis. In the third farm (n=15 for F3), all goats were home-bred and had no contact with imported animals. RESULTS: CAEV antibodies (ELISA targets TM env and gag genes) were detected in serum samples from two farms (F1 and F2), indicating seroprevalence of 87.50-92.31%. Specific CAEV antibodies were also detected in milk samples. CAEV proviral DNA was detected in 53.85-62.50%. The results from all tests performed in the third farm (F3) were negative, indicating that all tests were 100% specific. CONCLUSION: The results showed that CAEV is circulating and present in small hobbyist goat farms in Russia. Serological and molecular tests could be important for programs to control and eradicate CAEV in Russia for hobbyist goat farms.

Seroprevalence and B1 gene genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii in farmed European mink in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia.

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that infects almost all species of mammals and birds, including fur-bearing animals. However, the prevalence of T. gondii among Russian fur-bearing animals is unknown. In this study, the seroprevalence of T. gondii in European mink in Russia was investigated. In total, 100, 119 and 61 serum samples were collected from a fur farm, located in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, in autumn 2016, 2017 and 2018, respectively. The seroprevalence of T. gondii in 2016, 2017 and 2018 was 32% (23.2%-42.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI]), 31.1% (23.1%-40.3%, 95% CI) and 41.0% (28.8%-54.3%, 95% CI), respectively. In total, 50 brain samples from 100 animals whose blood was sampled in 2016 were analyzed by PCR to detect T. gondii DNA. T. gondii DNA was detected in 14% (7/50) of the mink brain samples. To examine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the partial B1 gene, we sequenced an 836-bp fragment, which contains a few SNPs, from the detected T. gondii DNA. The sequences of the fragments were identical to those of two of the major lineages, Type II and Type III, but differed from that of the Type I lineage.

Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence in goats, cats and humans in Russia.

Toxoplasmosis, a most common zoonosis, is caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. However, there is little epidemiological information on T. gondii infections in humans and livestock animals in Russia. Therefore, in this study, the seroprevalence of T. gondii in goats in Russia was investigated. A total of 216 goats from 32 farms were investigated and 95 of them were seropositive for T. gondii. The difference in seroprevalence between the examined regions was not statistically significant. We next collected serum samples from 99 cats and 181 humans in Kazan city, the state capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, and examined their T. gondii seroprevalences. Thirty-nine of the 99 cat samples and 56 of the 181 human samples showed seropositivity. Logistical regression analysis revealed that the cat breeding history of the human subjects, but not their sex or age is a significant risk factor for T. gondii seropositivity. These findings suggest that the natural environment in Russia may be widely polluted with T. gondii oocysts shed by cats, and ingestion of these oocysts provides a major route for human infection with this parasite.