Seroprevalence, Risk Factors and Molecular Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in Sheep Slaughtered for Human Consumption in the Red Sea State, Sudan.

IF 2.3 2区农林科学 Q3 INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Zoonoses and Public Health Pub Date : 2025-09-10 DOI:10.1111/zph.70013

Awadia Ali A Elhafiz, Manal Yousif Ishag, Adel Hussein Elduma, Osama Mohamed Mohamedkheir, Khalid A Enan, Yassir Adam Shuaib

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Introduction: Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite of significant public health concern, particularly in regions where consumption of undercooked meat is common. Despite the importance of sheep as a potential source of human infection, understanding of T. gondii seroprevalence and tissue distribution in sheep in the Red Sea State in Sudan remains limited.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the seroprevalence and tissue distribution of T. gondii in sheep slaughtered for human consumption in Port Sudan and Tokar localities between February and August 2010. Serum samples were analysed using the Latex Agglutination Test (LAT) for initial screening due to its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, and IgG-captured ELISA to confirm LAT doubtful results, while tissue samples from systematically selected seropositive animals were examined using real-time PCR targeting the 529 bp repeat element to assess tissue distribution patterns.

Results: A total of 700 sheep were tested for anti-T. gondii antibodies. The overall seroprevalence was 45.4% (318/700, 95% CI 41.8-49.1) by LAT, with 64% (57/89) of LAT-doubtful samples testing positive by IgG-captured ELISA. Multivariate analysis identified Etbawi eco-type (OR = 2.38, 95% CI 1.54-3.68, p = 0.001) and age > 2 years (OR = 2.45, 95% CI 1.17-5.14, p = 0.018) as significant risk factors. Real-time PCR detected T. gondii DNA in 16% (16/100) of tissue samples from seropositive sheep, with the highest positivity observed in brain (40%) samples. Notably, T. gondii DNA was detected exclusively in brain tissue in Port Sudan, while in Tokar, it was found in skeletal muscles, liver and diaphragm.

Conclusions: The high seroprevalence and molecular detection of T. gondii in edible tissues highlight a significant public health risk in the Red Sea State, particularly given local practices of consuming raw or undercooked meat. These findings emphasise the need for improved meat inspection and implementation of One Health approaches (e.g., integrated veterinary-public health surveillance systems) to reduce T. gondii transmission from sheep to humans despite the data being collected more than a decade ago.

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苏丹红海州屠宰供人食用羊刚地弓形虫血清阳性率、危险因素及分子检测

简介：刚地弓形虫是一种引起重大公共卫生关注的人畜共患寄生虫，特别是在经常食用未煮熟肉类的地区。尽管绵羊作为人类感染的潜在来源具有重要意义，但对苏丹红海州绵羊中弓形虫血清流行率和组织分布的了解仍然有限。方法：采用横断面研究方法，调查2010年2月至8月在苏丹港和托卡地区屠宰供人食用的绵羊中弓形虫的血清阳性率和组织分布。血清样本使用乳胶凝集试验（Latex Agglutination Test， LAT）进行初步筛选，因为其简单且具有成本效益，并使用igg捕获ELISA来确认LAT的可疑结果，而系统选择血清阳性动物的组织样本则使用实时PCR检测靶向529 bp重复元素以评估组织分布模式。结果：共检测了700只羊的抗t抗体。刚抗体。LAT的总血清阳性率为45.4% (318/700,95% CI 41.8-49.1)，其中64%（57/89）的LAT可疑样本经igg捕获的ELISA检测呈阳性。多因素分析发现，Etbawi生态类型（OR = 2.38, 95% CI 1.54 ~ 3.68, p = 0.001）和年龄（OR = 2.45, 95% CI 1.17 ~ 5.14, p = 0.018）是显著的危险因素。实时荧光定量PCR检测血清阳性绵羊组织样本中有16%（16/100）检测到弓形虫DNA，其中脑样本阳性率最高（40%）。值得注意的是，刚地弓形虫DNA仅在苏丹港的脑组织中检测到，而在托卡，在骨骼肌、肝脏和横膈膜中发现了它。结论：食用组织中弓形虫的高血清阳性率和分子检测突出了红海国的重大公共卫生风险，特别是考虑到当地食用生肉或未煮熟肉的习惯。这些发现强调有必要改进肉类检验和实施“同一个健康”方法（例如兽医-公共卫生综合监测系统），以减少弓形虫从绵羊向人类的传播，尽管这些数据是在十多年前收集的。

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

Zoonoses and Public Health 医学-传染病学

CiteScore

5.30

自引率

4.20%

发文量

115

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： Zoonoses and Public Health brings together veterinary and human health researchers and policy-makers by providing a venue for publishing integrated and global approaches to zoonoses and public health. The Editors will consider papers that focus on timely collaborative and multi-disciplinary research in zoonoses and public health. This journal provides rapid publication of original papers, reviews, and potential discussion papers embracing this collaborative spirit. Papers should advance the scientific knowledge of the sources, transmission, prevention and control of zoonoses and be authored by scientists with expertise in areas such as microbiology, virology, parasitology and epidemiology. Articles that incorporate recent data into new methods, applications, or approaches (e.g. statistical modeling) which enhance public health are strongly encouraged.