Oral Sex as a Potential Route for Toxoplasma Gondii Transmission: Experiment with Human Semen and Laboratory Mice Model

IF 1.2 3区农林科学 Q4 PARASITOLOGY

Acta Parasitologica Pub Date : 2024-04-25 DOI:10.1007/s11686-024-00848-5

Jana Ullmann, Petr Kodym, Jaroslav Flegr, Dagmar Berenová, Simona Jirsová, Šárka Kaňková

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Purpose

Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most widespread parasites in the human population globally. Several modes of its transmission have been proposed: some are well-researched and confirmed, others remain unconfirmed. One unconfirmed hypothesis pertains to potential transmission of Toxoplasma gondii via oral sex (fellatio) in humans. A recent study found tissue cysts in the semen of men with latent toxoplasmosis. Therefore, we aimed to test the hypothesis of Toxoplasma gondii transmission through oral sex experimentally.

Methods

Eighty-two laboratory mice were orally administered semen samples from 41 men with latent toxoplasmosis. These semen samples were examined for the presence of Toxoplasma gondii DNA using PCR.

Results

We detected Toxoplasma gondii DNA in three of the 41 semen samples from men with latent toxoplasmosis. Oral administration of semen samples to laboratory mice did not result in parasite transmission.

Conclusion

We have not demonstrated the transmission of Toxoplasma to mice by oral exposure to semen from infected men. While this does not conclusively rule out the possibility of such transmission in humans, the results suggest that, if it does occur, this mode of transmission is likely infrequent.

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口交是弓形虫传播的潜在途径：人类精液和实验室小鼠模型实验。

目的弓形虫是全球人类中最普遍的寄生虫之一。目前已提出了几种传播方式：有些已得到充分研究和证实，有些仍未得到证实。其中一个未经证实的假设涉及弓形虫在人类中通过口交传播的可能性。最近的一项研究在患有潜伏弓形虫病的男性精液中发现了组织囊肿。因此，我们旨在通过实验验证弓形虫通过口交传播的假说。方法给两只实验鼠口服 41 名潜伏弓形虫男性患者的精液样本。结果我们在41名潜伏弓形虫男性患者的精液样本中检测到了3个样本中的弓形虫DNA。给实验鼠口服精液样本不会导致寄生虫传播。结论我们没有证明通过口服受感染男性的精液会将弓形虫传播给小鼠。虽然这并不能最终排除人类感染弓形虫的可能性，但结果表明，即使真的发生了这种传播，这种传播方式也可能并不常见。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Acta Parasitologica 医学-寄生虫学

CiteScore

3.10

自引率

6.70%

发文量

149

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： Acta Parasitologica is an international journal covering the latest advances in the subject. Acta Parasitologica publishes original papers on all aspects of parasitology and host-parasite relationships, including the latest discoveries in biochemical and molecular biology of parasites, their physiology, morphology, taxonomy and ecology, as well as original research papers on immunology, pathology, and epidemiology of parasitic diseases in the context of medical, veterinary and biological sciences. The journal also publishes short research notes, invited review articles, book reviews. The journal was founded in 1953 as "Acta Parasitologica Polonica" by the Polish Parasitological Society and since 1954 has been published by W. Stefanski Institute of Parasitology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw. Since 1992 in has appeared as Acta Parasitologica in four issues per year.