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Article

Seroprevalence, Direct Detection and Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pigs in Serbia, and Influence of Biosecurity Measures

by
Nikola Betić
1,
Nedjeljko Karabasil
2,
Olgica Djurković-Djaković
3,
Vladimir Ćirković
3,
Branko Bobić
3,
Ivana Branković Lazić
1,
Vesna Djordjević
1 and
Ivana Klun
3,*
1
Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
2
Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
3
Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-Borne Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, 11129 Belgrade, Serbia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Microorganisms 2022, 10(5), 1069; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10051069
Submission received: 14 April 2022 / Revised: 12 May 2022 / Accepted: 16 May 2022 / Published: 23 May 2022

Abstract

Consumption of Toxoplasma gondii contaminated pork is a major risk factor for human infection. We thus conducted a cross-sectional survey on the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in a representative sample of slaughter pigs from throughout Serbia and examined the influence of farm biosecurity-related risk factors on infection. In addition, direct detection of the parasite (by mouse bioassay) or its DNA was performed in the hearts of a subset of seropositive sows. The overall seroprevalence in the sample of 825 pigs as determined by the modified agglutination test (MAT) was 16.5%. Older age and inadequate rodent control were independent infection risk factors for pigs. In a subset of 581 pigs with complete biosecurity-related data, in addition to older age, smallholders’ finishing type farms (as opposed to farrow-to-finish), multispecies farming, and origin from Western and Central and South-Eastern Serbia (vs. the Northern region), all increased the risk of infection, while the absence of disinfection boot-dips in front of each barn and Belgrade district origin (vs. the Northern region) were associated with a 62% and 75% lower risk of infection, respectively. Evidence of viable parasites was obtained in 13 (41.9%) of the 31 bioassayed sow hearts, of which by isolation of brain cysts in seven, by detection of T. gondii DNA in an additional four, and by serology in another two. Recovery of brain cysts mostly (5/7) from sows with a MAT titre of ≥1:100 indicates the risk for consumers. These results highlight the public health risk from pork consumption and point to mandatory use of professional rodent control services, abstaining from multispecies farming, keeping disinfection boot-dips clean and freshly refilled, as well as strict implementation of zoo-hygienic measures on smallholders’ farms as specific farm biosecurity measures needed for its reduction.
Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii; pigs; seroprevalence; risk factors; farm biosecurity; mouse bioassay; direct detection; public health risk; Serbia Toxoplasma gondii; pigs; seroprevalence; risk factors; farm biosecurity; mouse bioassay; direct detection; public health risk; Serbia
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MDPI and ACS Style

Betić, N.; Karabasil, N.; Djurković-Djaković, O.; Ćirković, V.; Bobić, B.; Branković Lazić, I.; Djordjević, V.; Klun, I. Seroprevalence, Direct Detection and Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pigs in Serbia, and Influence of Biosecurity Measures. Microorganisms 2022, 10, 1069. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10051069

AMA Style

Betić N, Karabasil N, Djurković-Djaković O, Ćirković V, Bobić B, Branković Lazić I, Djordjević V, Klun I. Seroprevalence, Direct Detection and Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pigs in Serbia, and Influence of Biosecurity Measures. Microorganisms. 2022; 10(5):1069. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10051069

Chicago/Turabian Style

Betić, Nikola, Nedjeljko Karabasil, Olgica Djurković-Djaković, Vladimir Ćirković, Branko Bobić, Ivana Branković Lazić, Vesna Djordjević, and Ivana Klun. 2022. "Seroprevalence, Direct Detection and Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pigs in Serbia, and Influence of Biosecurity Measures" Microorganisms 10, no. 5: 1069. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10051069

APA Style

Betić, N., Karabasil, N., Djurković-Djaković, O., Ćirković, V., Bobić, B., Branković Lazić, I., Djordjević, V., & Klun, I. (2022). Seroprevalence, Direct Detection and Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Pigs in Serbia, and Influence of Biosecurity Measures. Microorganisms, 10(5), 1069. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10051069

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