Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31511050›Full record

ArticleParasites & vectors2019

Toxoplasma gondii in small exotic felids from zoos in Europe and the Middle East: serological prevalence and risk factors.

Maike Lücht, Julia Stagegaard, Franz J Conraths, Gereon Schares

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Parasites & vectors, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 15% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 17 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Food and waterborne parasitology · 2022
    Article
  6. Seroprevalence and Risk Factors forAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2022
    Article
  7. Serological survey ofVeterinary world · 2022
    Article
  8. Molecular Detection ofFrontiers in veterinary science · 2021
    Article
  9. Isolation and characterization ofInternational journal for parasitology. Parasites and wildlife · 2020
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Maike LüchtFriedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Epidemiology, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany. maike.luecht@hellabrunn.de.
Julia StagegaardRee Park-Safari, Stubbe Søvej 15, 8400, Ebeltoft, Denmark.
Franz J ConrathsFriedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Epidemiology, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
Gereon ScharesFriedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Epidemiology, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany. gereon.schares@fli.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3217-289X
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundToxoplasma gondii infections and cases of clinical toxoplasmosis have been recorded in zoo animals. Wild felids in human care can serve as definitive hosts that shed oocysts, but also as intermediate hosts for the parasite. Some felid species, such as the Pallas's cat (Otocolobus manul) or sand cat (Felis margarita), may suffer from clinically apparent toxoplasmosis. In the present study, our main aim was to assess risk factors for T. gondii infections in small exotic felids.

methodsA seroepidemiological study was conducted using the reduviid bug Dipetalogaster maxima for blood sample collection, a method previously evaluated on domestic cats. A total of 336 samples from 17 felid species were collected in 51 institutions, 48 of which were within Europe and the remaining three in the Middle East (United Arabic Emirates and Qatar). These samples were analyzed for T. gondii antibodies by immunoblotting and an immunofluorescent antibody test. Potential risk factors in zoos for seropositivity regarding T. gondii among members of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) were evaluated using a questionnaire and individual data from the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS).

resultsThe sampled felids showed an overall seroprevalence for T. gondii of 63%. The risk factor study including data of 311 small exotic cats of 10 species resulted in a final generalized linear mixed model comprised of five variables: the likelihood of seropositivity increased statistically significantly with "Age", while feeding "Cattle: frozen" relative to "Cattle: fresh", "Outdoor housing fenced in on all sides", "Mesh size 2-5 cm" relative to "Mesh size > 5 cm" and "Wearing gloves: yes" had statistically significant protective effects.

conclusionsWild felids, including endangered species, kept in human care in European and Middle Eastern institutions, are widely exposed to T. gondii. Risk factor analysis revealed that feeding previously frozen tissues, keeping animals in enclosures that are fenced on all sides using fences with small mesh sizes, and wearing gloves when working inside enclosures seem to be the most relevant protective measures to prevent T. gondii infections in these animals .

Indexed as

AnimalsAnimals, ZooAntibodies, ProtozoanCat DiseasesCatsEuropeFelidaeMiddle EastRisk FactorsSeroepidemiologic StudiesToxoplasmaToxoplasmosis, AnimalAntibodies, ProtozoanCaptive felidsDipetalogaster maximaEpidemiologyFelinaeRisk analysisRisk factorsSerologyToxoplasma gondiiTriatominaeZoological gardens

Identifiers

PMID31511050
PMCPMC6737647
OpenAlexW2972617881

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.