Zebra mussel as a new tool to show evidence of freshwater contamination by waterborne Toxoplasma gondii

AbstractToxoplasma gondii is widely reported to manipulate the behavior of its non-definitive hosts in ways that promote lethal interactions with the parasite’s definitive feline hosts. Nonetheless, there is a lack of data on the association between T. gondii infection and costly behavioral interactions with felids in nature. Here, we report that three decades of field observations reveal T. gondii infected hyena cubs approach lions more closely than uninfected peers and have higher rates of lion mortality. Our findings support the hypothesis that T. gondii’s manipulation of host boldness is an extended phenotype that promotes parasite transmission from intermediate hosts to feline predators. While upregulating hyena boldness toward lions might achieve this, it may also reflect a collateral influence of manipulative traits that evolved in other hosts (e.g., rodents). In either case, our findings corroborate the potential impacts of a globally distributed and generalist parasite (T. gondii) on fitness-related interaction with felids in a wild host.One Sentence SummaryWild hyenas infected with the parasite T. gondii show evidence of costly behavioral manipulation when interacting with lions.

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The Cellular Origin in Atheromatous Lesion

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s042482010006800x ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 28 ◽

pp. 202-203

Author(s):

T. M. Murad ◽

H. A. I. Newman ◽

K. F. Kern

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Rabbit Aorta ◽

Mixed Population ◽

The Other ◽

Cellular Origin ◽

Ultrastructural Studies ◽

Atherosclerotic Lesions ◽

Show Evidence ◽

Early Lesion

The origin of lipid containing cells in atheromatous lesion has been disputed. Geer in his study on atheromatous lesions of rabbit aorta, suggested that the early lesion is composed mainly of lipid-laden macrophages and the later lesion has a mixed population of macrophages and smooth muscle cells. Parker on the other hand, was able to show evidence that the rabbit lesion is primarily composed of lipid-laden cells of smooth muscle origin. The above studies and many others were done on an intact lesion without any attempt of cellular isolation previous to their ultrastructural studies. Cell isolation procedures have been established for atherosclerotic lesions through collagenase and elastase digestion Therefore this procedure can be utilized to identify the cells involved in rabbit atheroma.

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Vorkommen und Genotypen von Toxoplasma gondii in der Muskulatur von Schaf, Rind und Schwein sowie im Katzenkot in der Schweiz

Schweizer Archiv für Tierheilkunde ◽

10.1024/0036-7281/a000341 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 154 (6) ◽

pp. 251-255 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

F. C. Frey ◽

E. A. Berger-Schoch ◽

C. D. Herrmann ◽

G. Schares ◽

N. Müller ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii

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Altered visual attention behavior of Toxoplasma gondii-infected individuals.

Psychology & Neuroscience ◽

10.1037/pne0000179 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 485-494

Author(s):

Joaquim C. Rossini ◽

Carolina S. Lopes ◽

Fernanda P. Dirscherl ◽

Deise A. O. Silva ◽

José R. Mineo

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Visual Attention

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Konnatale Toxoplasmose

Kinder- und Jugendmedizin ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1629380 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 14 (02) ◽

pp. 101-106

Author(s):

C. Feiterna-Sperling

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii

ZusammenfassungBei einer primären Toxoplasmose in der Schwangerschaft besteht für den Fetus das Risiko einer konnatalen Infektion durch diaplazentare Transmission von Toxoplasma gondii. Das Risiko einer fetalen Infektion nimmt dabei mit der Schwangerschaftsdauer zu, während die Schwere der Symptomatik mit zunehmendem Gestationsalter abnimmt. Bei den meisten infizierten Neugeborenen finden sich klinisch inapparente Infektionen, aber auch postnatal unauffällige Kinder sind einem Risiko von späteren Folgeschäden ausgesetzt. Neben neurologischen Entwicklungsstörungen ist vor allem das Risiko einer Retinochoroiditis von Bedeutung, die sich auch erst im späteren Leben manifestieren kann. Eine frühzeitige Erkennung einer Primärinfektion in der Schwangerschaft ist Voraussetzung, um durch eine frühzeitige anti-parasitäre Therapie, das Risiko einer fetalen Schädigung zu reduzieren. Durch eine post-natale Therapie kann vermutlich zusätzlich das Risiko der Langzeitkomplikationen gesenkt werden. Neugeborene mit Verdacht auf eine konnatale Toxoplasmose müssen sorgfältig hinsichtlich einer konnatalen Infektion untersucht werden und Säuglinge mit einer gesicherten Infektion benötigen langfristige Nachuntersuchungen hinsichtlich möglicher Spätschäden, insbesondere der Manifestation einer Retinochoroiditis.

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The Stability of the WHO Reference Thromboplastin NIBS & C 67/40

Thrombosis and Haemostasis ◽

10.1055/s-0038-1657008 ◽

1979 ◽

Vol 42 (04) ◽

pp. 1135-1140 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

G I C Ingram

Keyword(s):

Human Brain ◽

Collaborative Study ◽

Calibration Constant ◽

Long Term Stability ◽

Freeze Dried ◽

Show Evidence ◽

Human Material ◽

Reference Preparation ◽

The Stability

SummaryThe International Reference Preparation of human brain thromboplastin coded 67/40 has been thought to show evidence of instability. The evidence is discussed and is not thought to be strong; but it is suggested that it would be wise to replace 67/40 with a new preparation of human brain, both for this reason and because 67/40 is in a form (like Thrombotest) in which few workers seem to use human brain. A �plain� preparation would be more appropriate; and a freeze-dried sample of BCT is recommended as the successor preparation. The opportunity should be taken also to replace the corresponding ox and rabbit preparations. In the collaborative study which would be required it would then be desirable to test in parallel the three old and the three new preparations. The relative sensitivities of the old preparations could be compared with those found in earlier studies to obtain further evidence on the stability of 67/40; if stability were confirmed, the new preparations should be calibrated against it, but if not, the new human material should receive a calibration constant of 1.0 and the new ox and rabbit materials calibrated against that.The types of evidence available for monitoring the long-term stability of a thromboplastin are discussed.

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