Nationwide serological survey and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infections in alpacas (Vicugna pacos) and llamas (Lama glama) in Italy

IF 2.2 3区农林科学 Q1 VETERINARY SCIENCES

Research in veterinary science Pub Date : 2025-05-29 DOI:10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.105729

Elisa Castaldo , Walter Basso , Gastón Moré , Alessia Ciaramelli , Nicola D'Alessio , Michele Capasso , Giovanni Sgroi , Sara Tonon , Farwa Humak , Alessia Gazzonis , Gereon Schares , Vincenzo Veneziano

{"title":"Nationwide serological survey and risk factors for Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum infections in alpacas (Vicugna pacos) and llamas (Lama glama) in Italy","authors":"Elisa Castaldo , Walter Basso , Gastón Moré , Alessia Ciaramelli , Nicola D'Alessio , Michele Capasso , Giovanni Sgroi , Sara Tonon , Farwa Humak , Alessia Gazzonis , Gereon Schares , Vincenzo Veneziano","doi":"10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.105729","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are worldwide distributed protozoa, recognized as major causes of economic losses in livestock production due to reproductive failure. Camelids can also serve as intermediate hosts for these protozoa. Research on these parasites in South American Camelids (SAC) in Europe is scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence and distribution of T. gondii and N. caninum infections in SAC in Italy and investigate risk factors for infection applying a structured online questionnaire filled in by owners. A total of 506 SAC sera (486 alpacas, Vicugna pacos, and 20 llamas, Lama glama) were tested to detect antibodies against T. gondii and N. caninum using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), and results were confirmed with immunoblot. Seroprevalences of 34.8 % (176/506) for T. gondii, with 33.1 % (161/486) for alpacas and 75.0 % (15/20) for llamas, and 5.7 % (29/506) for N. caninum, with 5.6 % (27/486) for alpacas and 10.0 % (2/20) for llamas were found. Simultaneous presence of antibodies against T. gondii and N. caninum was detected in 3.6 % (18/506) of the samples. The variables older age and llama species were identified as risk factors (p < 0.05) for T. gondii, while the presence of dogs and fertility disorders were associated with N. caninum seropositivity. This study provides the first large-scale serological evidence of T. gondii and N. caninum infections in alpacas and llamas in Italy, highlighting their widespread distribution and contributing valuable data to the national epidemiological scenario. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of these parasites as cause of abortion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21083,"journal":{"name":"Research in veterinary science","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 105729"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Research in veterinary science","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0034528825002036","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"VETERINARY SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are worldwide distributed protozoa, recognized as major causes of economic losses in livestock production due to reproductive failure. Camelids can also serve as intermediate hosts for these protozoa. Research on these parasites in South American Camelids (SAC) in Europe is scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence and distribution of T. gondii and N. caninum infections in SAC in Italy and investigate risk factors for infection applying a structured online questionnaire filled in by owners. A total of 506 SAC sera (486 alpacas, Vicugna pacos, and 20 llamas, Lama glama) were tested to detect antibodies against T. gondii and N. caninum using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), and results were confirmed with immunoblot. Seroprevalences of 34.8 % (176/506) for T. gondii, with 33.1 % (161/486) for alpacas and 75.0 % (15/20) for llamas, and 5.7 % (29/506) for N. caninum, with 5.6 % (27/486) for alpacas and 10.0 % (2/20) for llamas were found. Simultaneous presence of antibodies against T. gondii and N. caninum was detected in 3.6 % (18/506) of the samples. The variables older age and llama species were identified as risk factors (p < 0.05) for T. gondii, while the presence of dogs and fertility disorders were associated with N. caninum seropositivity. This study provides the first large-scale serological evidence of T. gondii and N. caninum infections in alpacas and llamas in Italy, highlighting their widespread distribution and contributing valuable data to the national epidemiological scenario. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role of these parasites as cause of abortion.

查看原文本刊更多论文

意大利羊驼（Vicugna pacos）和美洲驼（Lama glama）刚地弓形虫和犬新孢子虫感染的全国血清学调查和危险因素

刚地弓形虫和犬新孢子虫是分布在世界各地的原生动物，被认为是由于繁殖失败而造成畜牧生产经济损失的主要原因。骆驼科动物也可以作为这些原生动物的中间宿主。对这些寄生虫在欧洲南美骆驼科（SAC）中的研究很少。因此，本研究旨在估计意大利SAC地区弓形虫和犬奈虫感染的血清患病率和分布，并通过由饲主填写的结构化在线问卷调查感染的危险因素。采用酶联免疫吸附法（ELISA）检测506份SAC血清（486只羊驼、骆马羊驼和20只lamama羊驼）的弓形虫和犬N.绦虫抗体，并用免疫印迹法对结果进行验证。弓形虫血清阳性率为34.8%(176/506)，羊驼为33.1%(161/486)，大羊驼为75.0%(15/20)；犬新冠虫血清阳性率为5.7%(29/506)，羊驼为5.6%(27/486)，大羊驼为10.0%（2/20）。3.6%（18/506）的样本同时存在弓形虫和犬奈虫抗体。年龄和羊驼种类被确定为危险因素(p <；弓形虫血清阳性与狗的存在和生育障碍有关。本研究首次提供了意大利羊驼和大羊驼中弓形虫和犬奈虫感染的大规模血清学证据，突出了它们的广泛分布，并为国家流行病学情景提供了有价值的数据。需要进一步的研究来评估这些寄生虫作为流产原因的作用。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Research in veterinary science 农林科学-兽医学

CiteScore

4.40

自引率

4.20%

发文量

312

审稿时长

75 days

期刊介绍： Research in Veterinary Science is an International multi-disciplinary journal publishing original articles, reviews and short communications of a high scientific and ethical standard in all aspects of veterinary and biomedical research. The primary aim of the journal is to inform veterinary and biomedical scientists of significant advances in veterinary and related research through prompt publication and dissemination. Secondly, the journal aims to provide a general multi-disciplinary forum for discussion and debate of news and issues concerning veterinary science. Thirdly, to promote the dissemination of knowledge to a broader range of professions, globally. High quality papers on all species of animals are considered, particularly those considered to be of high scientific importance and originality, and with interdisciplinary interest. The journal encourages papers providing results that have clear implications for understanding disease pathogenesis and for the development of control measures or treatments, as well as those dealing with a comparative biomedical approach, which represents a substantial improvement to animal and human health. Studies without a robust scientific hypothesis or that are preliminary, or of weak originality, as well as negative results, are not appropriate for the journal. Furthermore, observational approaches, case studies or field reports lacking an advancement in general knowledge do not fall within the scope of the journal.