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<p>Pakistan is blessed with more than 666 bird species including common terrestrial birds, water-associated species, raptors and migrants but very little information is available regarding their blood borne pathogens and factors contributing to susceptibility to these&#xa0;infections. An active survey was undertaken to estimate the prevalence of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> in 88 birds belonging to ten species captured via mist-netting during May till July 2023 from Sargodha and Chakwal districts in Punjab (Pakistan). Six bird species, <i>Gallus gallus domestica</i> (domestic hen, <i>n</i> = 25), <i>Columba livia domestica</i> (domestic pigeon, <i>n</i> = 12), <i>Anas platyrhynchos</i> (mallard, <i>n</i> = 10), Japanese quail, <i>Coturnix japonica</i> (<i>n</i> = 6), <i>Centropus sinensis</i> (greater coucal, <i>n</i> = 3) and <i>Corvus splendens</i> (house crow, <i>n</i> = 3), were captured from Sargodha and four from Chakwal district: <i>Acridotheres tristis</i> (common myna, <i>n</i> = 11), <i>Bubulcus coromandus</i> (eastern cattle egret, <i>n</i> = 10), <i>Streptopelia decaocto</i> (ring necked dove, <i>n</i> = 6), and <i>Amaurornis phoenicurus</i> (white breasted water hen, <i>n</i> = 2). Results revealed that overall 21 out of 88 (24%) birds captured from two districts amplified a fragment from <i>ITS-1</i> gene of <i>T. gondii.</i> Parasite presence was validated through Sanger sequencing followed by BLAST comparison<i>.</i> Phylogenetic analysis based on partial <i>ITS-1</i> gene sequences indicated that Pakistani <i>T. gondii</i> isolates were genetically similar and they showed close similarity to sequences previously reported from birds, mammals and humans in Brazil, Germany, Iraq and Pakistan. Five out of six bird species from district Sargodha and three out of the four species from district Chakwal were <i>T. gondii</i> infected. Parasite prevalence varied between the bird species captured from Chakwal. Parasite infected birds exhibited reduced red blood cell, granulocytes and platelet counts but had higher mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration than uninfected birds. Overall, our findings confirm the occurrence of <i>T. gondii</i> in eight Pakistani bird species with an overall high infection rate which is alarming as the parasite has the zoonotic potential. It is recommended that more bird species from Pakistan should be screened for this parasite. It is recommended to&#xa0;avoid eating&#xa0;poorly cooked bird meat&#xa0;that can prevent the zoonotic spread of <i>T. gondii</i>.</p>

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Molecular prevalence, genetic diversity and effect of Toxoplasma gondii infection on the hematological parameters of various bird species

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月4日

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  • Tauqir Un Nisa,
  • Fatima Mushtaq,
  • Humaira Zulfiqar Ali Gondal,
  • Naila Amjad,
  • Muhammad Usman,
  • Muhammad Ali,
  • Muhammad Latif,
  • Hira Muqaddas,
  • Furhan Iqbal

摘要

Pakistan is blessed with more than 666 bird species including common terrestrial birds, water-associated species, raptors and migrants but very little information is available regarding their blood borne pathogens and factors contributing to susceptibility to these infections. An active survey was undertaken to estimate the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in 88 birds belonging to ten species captured via mist-netting during May till July 2023 from Sargodha and Chakwal districts in Punjab (Pakistan). Six bird species, Gallus gallus domestica (domestic hen, n = 25), Columba livia domestica (domestic pigeon, n = 12), Anas platyrhynchos (mallard, n = 10), Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica (n = 6), Centropus sinensis (greater coucal, n = 3) and Corvus splendens (house crow, n = 3), were captured from Sargodha and four from Chakwal district: Acridotheres tristis (common myna, n = 11), Bubulcus coromandus (eastern cattle egret, n = 10), Streptopelia decaocto (ring necked dove, n = 6), and Amaurornis phoenicurus (white breasted water hen, n = 2). Results revealed that overall 21 out of 88 (24%) birds captured from two districts amplified a fragment from ITS-1 gene of T. gondii. Parasite presence was validated through Sanger sequencing followed by BLAST comparison. Phylogenetic analysis based on partial ITS-1 gene sequences indicated that Pakistani T. gondii isolates were genetically similar and they showed close similarity to sequences previously reported from birds, mammals and humans in Brazil, Germany, Iraq and Pakistan. Five out of six bird species from district Sargodha and three out of the four species from district Chakwal were T. gondii infected. Parasite prevalence varied between the bird species captured from Chakwal. Parasite infected birds exhibited reduced red blood cell, granulocytes and platelet counts but had higher mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration than uninfected birds. Overall, our findings confirm the occurrence of T. gondii in eight Pakistani bird species with an overall high infection rate which is alarming as the parasite has the zoonotic potential. It is recommended that more bird species from Pakistan should be screened for this parasite. It is recommended to avoid eating poorly cooked bird meat that can prevent the zoonotic spread of T. gondii.