Seroprevalence, Direct Detection and Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pigs in Serbia, and Influence of Biosecurity Measures
2022
Authors
Betić, NikolaKarabasil, Nedjeljko
Djurković-Djaković, Olgica
Ćirković, Vladimir
Bobić, Branko
Branković Lazić, Ivana
Djordjević, Vesna
Klun, Ivana
Article (Published version)
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Consumption of Toxoplasma gondii contaminated pork is a major risk factor for human infection. We thus conducted a cross-sectional survey on the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in a representative sample of slaughter pigs from throughout Serbia and examined the influence of farm biosecurity-related risk factors on infection. In addition, direct detection of the parasite (by mouse bioassay) or its DNA was performed in the hearts of a subset of seropositive sows. The overall seroprevalence in the sample of 825 pigs as determined by the modified agglutination test (MAT) was 16.5%. Older age and inadequate rodent control were independent infection risk factors for pigs. In a subset of 581 pigs with complete biosecurity-related data, in addition to older age, smallholders’ finishing type farms (as opposed to farrow-to-finish), multispecies farming, and origin from Western and Central and South-Eastern Serbia (vs. the Northern region), all increased the risk of infection, while the abs...ence of disinfection boot-dips in front of each barn and Belgrade district origin (vs. the Northern region) were associated with a 62% and 75% lower risk of infection, respectively. Evidence of viable parasites was obtained in 13 (41.9%) of the 31 bioassayed sow hearts, of which by isolation of brain cysts in seven, by detection of T. gondii DNA in an additional four, and by serology in another two. Recovery of brain cysts mostly (5/7) from sows with a MAT titre of ≥1:100 indicates the risk for consumers. These results highlight the public health risk from pork consumption and point to mandatory use of professional rodent control services, abstaining from multispecies farming, keeping disinfection boot-dips clean and freshly refilled, as well as strict implementation of zoo-hygienic measures on smallholders’ farms as specific farm biosecurity measures needed for its reduction.
Keywords:
Toxoplasma gondii / direct detection / farm biosecurity / mouse bioassay / pigs / public health risk / risk factors / Serbia / seroprevalenceSource:
Microorganisms, 2022, 10, 5, 1069-Publisher:
- MDPI
Funding / projects:
- Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia, institutional funding - 200015 (University of Belgrade, Institute for Medical Research) (RS-MESTD-inst-2020-200015)
- Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia, institutional funding - 200050 (Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade) (RS-MESTD-inst-2020-200050)
- Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia, institutional funding - 200143 (University of Belgrade, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine) (RS-MESTD-inst-2020-200143)
DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10051069
ISSN: 2076-2607
WoS: 00080268360000
Scopus: 2-s2.0-85130814344
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Institution/Community
Fakultet veterinarske medicineTY - JOUR AU - Betić, Nikola AU - Karabasil, Nedjeljko AU - Djurković-Djaković, Olgica AU - Ćirković, Vladimir AU - Bobić, Branko AU - Branković Lazić, Ivana AU - Djordjević, Vesna AU - Klun, Ivana PY - 2022 UR - https://vet-erinar.vet.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2464 AB - Consumption of Toxoplasma gondii contaminated pork is a major risk factor for human infection. We thus conducted a cross-sectional survey on the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in a representative sample of slaughter pigs from throughout Serbia and examined the influence of farm biosecurity-related risk factors on infection. In addition, direct detection of the parasite (by mouse bioassay) or its DNA was performed in the hearts of a subset of seropositive sows. The overall seroprevalence in the sample of 825 pigs as determined by the modified agglutination test (MAT) was 16.5%. Older age and inadequate rodent control were independent infection risk factors for pigs. In a subset of 581 pigs with complete biosecurity-related data, in addition to older age, smallholders’ finishing type farms (as opposed to farrow-to-finish), multispecies farming, and origin from Western and Central and South-Eastern Serbia (vs. the Northern region), all increased the risk of infection, while the absence of disinfection boot-dips in front of each barn and Belgrade district origin (vs. the Northern region) were associated with a 62% and 75% lower risk of infection, respectively. Evidence of viable parasites was obtained in 13 (41.9%) of the 31 bioassayed sow hearts, of which by isolation of brain cysts in seven, by detection of T. gondii DNA in an additional four, and by serology in another two. Recovery of brain cysts mostly (5/7) from sows with a MAT titre of ≥1:100 indicates the risk for consumers. These results highlight the public health risk from pork consumption and point to mandatory use of professional rodent control services, abstaining from multispecies farming, keeping disinfection boot-dips clean and freshly refilled, as well as strict implementation of zoo-hygienic measures on smallholders’ farms as specific farm biosecurity measures needed for its reduction. PB - MDPI T2 - Microorganisms T1 - Seroprevalence, Direct Detection and Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pigs in Serbia, and Influence of Biosecurity Measures VL - 10 IS - 5 SP - 1069 DO - 10.3390/microorganisms10051069 ER -
@article{ author = "Betić, Nikola and Karabasil, Nedjeljko and Djurković-Djaković, Olgica and Ćirković, Vladimir and Bobić, Branko and Branković Lazić, Ivana and Djordjević, Vesna and Klun, Ivana", year = "2022", abstract = "Consumption of Toxoplasma gondii contaminated pork is a major risk factor for human infection. We thus conducted a cross-sectional survey on the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in a representative sample of slaughter pigs from throughout Serbia and examined the influence of farm biosecurity-related risk factors on infection. In addition, direct detection of the parasite (by mouse bioassay) or its DNA was performed in the hearts of a subset of seropositive sows. The overall seroprevalence in the sample of 825 pigs as determined by the modified agglutination test (MAT) was 16.5%. Older age and inadequate rodent control were independent infection risk factors for pigs. In a subset of 581 pigs with complete biosecurity-related data, in addition to older age, smallholders’ finishing type farms (as opposed to farrow-to-finish), multispecies farming, and origin from Western and Central and South-Eastern Serbia (vs. the Northern region), all increased the risk of infection, while the absence of disinfection boot-dips in front of each barn and Belgrade district origin (vs. the Northern region) were associated with a 62% and 75% lower risk of infection, respectively. Evidence of viable parasites was obtained in 13 (41.9%) of the 31 bioassayed sow hearts, of which by isolation of brain cysts in seven, by detection of T. gondii DNA in an additional four, and by serology in another two. Recovery of brain cysts mostly (5/7) from sows with a MAT titre of ≥1:100 indicates the risk for consumers. These results highlight the public health risk from pork consumption and point to mandatory use of professional rodent control services, abstaining from multispecies farming, keeping disinfection boot-dips clean and freshly refilled, as well as strict implementation of zoo-hygienic measures on smallholders’ farms as specific farm biosecurity measures needed for its reduction.", publisher = "MDPI", journal = "Microorganisms", title = "Seroprevalence, Direct Detection and Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pigs in Serbia, and Influence of Biosecurity Measures", volume = "10", number = "5", pages = "1069", doi = "10.3390/microorganisms10051069" }
Betić, N., Karabasil, N., Djurković-Djaković, O., Ćirković, V., Bobić, B., Branković Lazić, I., Djordjević, V.,& Klun, I.. (2022). Seroprevalence, Direct Detection and Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pigs in Serbia, and Influence of Biosecurity Measures. in Microorganisms MDPI., 10(5), 1069. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10051069
Betić N, Karabasil N, Djurković-Djaković O, Ćirković V, Bobić B, Branković Lazić I, Djordjević V, Klun I. Seroprevalence, Direct Detection and Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pigs in Serbia, and Influence of Biosecurity Measures. in Microorganisms. 2022;10(5):1069. doi:10.3390/microorganisms10051069 .
Betić, Nikola, Karabasil, Nedjeljko, Djurković-Djaković, Olgica, Ćirković, Vladimir, Bobić, Branko, Branković Lazić, Ivana, Djordjević, Vesna, Klun, Ivana, "Seroprevalence, Direct Detection and Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pigs in Serbia, and Influence of Biosecurity Measures" in Microorganisms, 10, no. 5 (2022):1069, https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10051069 . .