Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic cats and northern fur seals of the Pribilof Islands, Alaska

TL;DR

This study found that a small percentage of domestic cats and northern fur seals in Alaska were exposed to Toxoplasma gondii, but the infection levels were lower than in other regions.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the prevalence of T. gondii in free-ranging northern fur seal and cat populations in the Pribilof Islands.

Findings

16.4% of northern fur seals tested positive for T. gondii antibodies.

5.4% of domestic cats were seropositive, but no oocysts were found in fecal samples.

T. gondii exposure appears lower in the Pribilof Islands compared to other regions.

Abstract

Disseminated toxoplasmosis has been described in northern fur seals, however little is known about the significance and epidemiology of this pathogen in free ranging populations. We tested archived serum from a subset of domestic cats (Felis catus) and adult northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus; NFS) in the Pribilof Islands, Alaska, for T. gondii antibodies and feline fecal samples for T. gondii oocysts. Of the 37 cats, two (5.4 %) were seropositive and all (n = 36) fecal float samples were negative. Of the 225 NFS serum samples, 37 (16.4 %) were positive by modified agglutination tests. There was no statistically significant difference in the seroprevalence of NFS by year or region of animal capture. These findings suggest that T. gondii exposure in both cats and NFS is present but appears lower in this region compared to other studied areas.

Image 1

•16 % of northern fur seals from the Pribilof Islands had T. gondii antibodies.•5 % of cats on St. Paul Island were seropositive but no T. gondii oocysts were found in feces.•T. gondii exposure appears lower in this region than in other areas.

16 % of northern fur seals from the Pribilof Islands had T. gondii antibodies.

5 % of cats on St. Paul Island were seropositive but no T. gondii oocysts were found in feces.

T. gondii exposure appears lower in this region than in other areas.

Figures