Toxoplasma gondii infection in Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis): first report from Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt | [Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences • 2020]

Author(s):

1. Amany I. Ammar: Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia, Egypt

2. Ismail M. Moharm: Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia, Egypt

3. Raafat M. Shaapan: Department of Zoonotic Diseases, National Research Centre, P.O. Box 12622, El-Tahrir Street, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

4. Amany A. Rady: Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia, Egypt

Abstract:

Background and Objective: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is capable of infecting a broad range of intermediate hosts. Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) is a species of herons that is common in Egypt. This work aimed to study the prevalence of T. gondii in cattle egret which is an efficient tool of investigating environmental contamination with T. gondii. Materials and Methods: Serum, heart and brain tissues of 51 cattle egrets were collected from Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia, Egypt and tested using Modified Agglutination Test (MAT) and mice bioassay. Results: There was a detection rate of 13.7% (7/51) in these birds using MAT. By intraperitoneal injection of mice with heart and brain tissues digest of MAT positive birds, the parasite was isolated from two T. gondii sero-positive birds (28.6%). The mice bioassay was confirmed by MAT, Hematoxylin and Eosin (HAND E) staining of the brain of the infected mice, also by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and sequencing. Conclusion: This is the first report of T. gondii infection in cattle egret from Egypt and more studies are needed on Egyptian wildlife to understand the sylvatic life cycle of the parasite.

Page(s): 1442-1449

DOI: 10.3923/pjbs.2020.1442.1449

Published: Journal: Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, Volume: 23, Issue: 11, Year: 2020

Keywords:

PCR , MAT , Toxoplasma gondii , Menoufia Governorate , cattle egret , Herons

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