Journal article
Clinical observations, pathology, bioassay in mice and serological response at slaughter in pigs experimentally infected with Toxoplasma gondii
Division of Microbiology and Risk Assessment, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark1
National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark2
Section for Veterinary Epidemiology and public sector consultancy, Division of Veterinary Diagnostics and Research, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark3
Division of Veterinary Diagnostics and Research, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark4
National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark5
Technical University of Denmark6
Section for Veterinary Diagnostics, Division of Veterinary Diagnostics and Research, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark7
Secretariat, Division of Veterinary Diagnostics and Research, National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark8
Experimental infections of a total of 47 pigs with tachyzoites of the Toxoplasma gondii RH-strain, tissue cysts of the SSI-119 and R92 strains as well as oocysts of the SSI-119 strain were performed to determine the sensitivity of an indirect IgG-ELISA, using tachyzoite lysate of the RH-strain as antigen.
The infections led to a dose dependent moderate clinical affection (inappetence, fever and poor general condition). Pigs infected with 10000 oocysts or with 1/2 mouse brain containing tissue cysts of the SSI-119 strain showed a significant decrease in weight gain compared to uninoculated pigs during the first 2 weeks p.i., followed, however, by compensatory growth during the next 6 weeks.
At slaughter 3 to 4 months after inoculation 39/41 (95.1%) of pigs positive by bioassay in mice were seropositive in ELISA: Tissue cysts;were not demonstrable by immunohistochemistry. ELISA OD-values obtained by analysis of meat juice from heart muscle and tongue (diluted 1:40) correlated strongly with OD-values by analysis,of serum (diluted 1:400) (r(heart juice) = 0.942; r(tongue juice) = 0.915).
Thus, meat juice samples were shown to provide a suitable alternative to serum for serological detection of Toxoplasma infection in pigs.
Language: | English |
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Year: | 1997 |
Pages: | 129-140 |
ISSN: | 03044017 and 18732550 |
Types: | Journal article |
DOI: | 10.1016/S0304-4017(97)00034-4 |