Feline Toxoplasmosis: Tumor Necrosis Factor, Nitric Oxide, and Free Radicals in Seropositive Cats

Toxoplasma gondii is a cosmopolitan protozoan that causes disease in several species, including humans. In cats, these infections are usually asymptomatic, but in other species they can lead to high levels of inflammatory and cell damage markers, causing cellular damage. Therefore, the aim of this s...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of parasitology 2018-02, Vol.104 (1), p.86-88
Main Authors: Faria, Joice L. M, Couto, Caroline do, Wierzynski, Sheron L, Bottari, Nathieli B, Baldissera, Matheus D, Pereira, Wanderson A. B, Da Silva, Aleksandro S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Felidae
Free radicals
Immunology
Infections
Infectious diseases
Necrosis
Nitrates
Nitric oxide
Oxidation
Parasitology
Proteins
Protozoa
Public health
Reactive oxygen species
SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
Studies
Toxoplasma gondii
Toxoplasmosis
Tumor necrosis factor-TNF
Veterinary services
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Toxoplasma gondii is a cosmopolitan protozoan that causes disease in several species, including humans. In cats, these infections are usually asymptomatic, but in other species they can lead to high levels of inflammatory and cell damage markers, causing cellular damage. Therefore, the aim of this study was to measure levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and nitric oxide (nitrite/nitrate—NOx) in the serum of cats seropositive for T. gondii. Initially, we investigated the presence of antibodies against T. gondii in cats in the city of Concordia, Santa Catarina, Brazil, with the use of indirect immunofluorescence (IFA), and found 30 cats seropositive for T. gondii and 30 seronegative cats. In this study, seropositive cats showed higher levels of TNF-α, ROS, and NOx compared to seronegative cats. Although cats do not show clinical signs of disease, constant inflammatory response can cause cell damage, which over time may adversely affect the animal.
ISSN:0022-3395
1937-2345
DOI:10.1645/17-85