Molecular identification of <em>Toxoplasma gondii</em> in roadkill wild animals in Yucatan, Mexico

Main Article Content

Marco Antonio Torres-Castro
Rodrigo Adán Medina-Pinto
Henry René Noh-Pech
Fernando I. Puerto
Roger Iván Rodríguez-Vivas

Abstract

Veterinaria México OA
ISSN: 2448-6760

Cite this as:

  • Torres-Castro MA, Medina-Pinto RA, Noh-Pech HR, Puerto FI, Rodríguez-Vivas RI. Molecular identification of Toxoplasma gondii in roadkill wild animals in Yucatan, Mexico. Veterinaria México OA. 6(1):2019. doi:10.22201/fmvz.24486760e.2019.1.511.

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, recognized as the etiologic agent of toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic endemic disease in several countries, including Mexico. In the Yucatan State of Mexico, Toxoplasma infection has a high impact in both human and domestic animal health. Wild animals can also host zoonotic pathogens such as Toxoplasma gondii. The presence of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in roadkill wild animals in Yucatan was detected using a nested Polymerase Chain Reaction. Toxoplasma gondii DNA was identified in several organs retrieved from a Yucatan squirrel (Sciurus yucatanensis), a coatimundi (Nasua narica), and a greater grison (Galictis vittata). The amplified fragments of Toxoplasma gondii DNA were purified, sequenced, and certified by BLAST analysis. Our results confirm that Toxo­plasma gondii can infect wild mammals from Yucatan, which could act as intermediate hosts and contribute to the transmission of the disease to humans and domestic animals, as well as other wild animal species. We present the first molecular evidence of Toxoplasma gondii in a squirrel and a coatimundi from Yucatan, and quite possibly in a greater grison at a global level.

Figure 1. Agarose gel presenting PCR amplicons (560 bp) positive to Toxoplasma gondii. 1) C+: positive control; A: Yucatan squirrel liver sample; B: great grison femoral muscle sample; C: coatimundi kidney sample; C-: negative control. 2) A: Yucatan squirrel brain sample; B: great grison lung sample; C-: negative control.

Keywords:
Toxoplasma gondii roadkill wild animals Yucatan Mexico

Article Details

Author Biographies

Marco Antonio Torres-Castro, Laboratorio de Enfermedades Emergentes y Reemergentes, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México

Profesor Investigador Asociado 

CIR-Biomédicas 

UADY

Rodrigo Adán Medina-Pinto, Laboratorio de Parasitología, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México

Médico Veterinario Zootecnista

CCBA-UADY

Laboratorio de Parasitología

Henry René Noh-Pech, Laboratorio de Enfermedades Emergentes y Reemergentes, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México

Ingeniero Bioquímico

Técnico Académico Asociado

Fernando I. Puerto, Laboratorio de Enfermedades Emergentes y Reemergentes, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México

Médico Cirujano; Maestro en Ciencias

Profesor Investigador Titular "C"

Jefe de laboratorio

 

Roger Iván Rodríguez-Vivas, Laboratorio de Parasitología, Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México

Médico Veterinario Zootecnista; PhD

Profesor Titular "C"

SNI Nivel III

Jefe de Laboratorio 

CCBA-UADY

Laboratorio de Parasitología

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