Congenital Toxoplasmosis in Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) and Identification of theToxoplasma gondiiTypes Involved

• DOI: 10.7589/2013-01-024
• Publication Date: 2013-10-07T18:11:01Z
• Authors: Rafael Calero-Bernal; Luis Gómez-Gordo; José María Saugar; Eva Frontera; Juan Enrique Pére...; David Reina; Francisco Javier ...; Isabel Fuentes
• Keywords: Male; Swine Diseases; 0301 basic medicine; Swine; Sus scrofa; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Fetus; Toxoplasmosis, Animal; Pregnancy; Animals; Female; Toxoplasma

Congenital toxoplasmosis has been little described in wild animals. We report a case of vertical transmission in wild boar (Sus scrofa). Necropsy and histopathologic examination of a pregnant female and her three fetuses revealed all to have lesions compatible with acute toxoplasmosis. Nested polymerase chain reaction B1 gene detected Toxoplasma gondii in maternal (heart and diaphragm) and fetal (central nervous system, retina, optic nerve, heart, lung, tongue, and diaphragm) samples. The mother had a mixed infection of T. gondii types I and III. One fetus with type III infection developed no malformations, but the others-one with type I infection and one infected by types I and III-showed bilateral ocular agenesis, prognathism, and agenesis of the nasal cartilage. These results suggest the pathogenicity of the various T. gondii types may differ in wild boars.