Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies in Barren-Ground Caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) From the Canadian Arctic

• Published in: The Journal of parasitology Vol. 87; no. 2; pp. 439 - 442
• Main Authors: Kutz, S. J, Elkin, B. T, Panayi, D, Dubey, J. P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lawrence, KS American Society of Parasitologists 01-04-2001; Allen Press Inc
• Subjects: Abortion; Adults; Agglutination; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Antibodies; Antibodies, Protozoan - analysis; Arctic Regions - epidemiology; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; Buffalo; Caribou; Caribous; Dolphins; Epidemiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Herds; Hunting; Infections; Lynx; Male; Mammalia; Meat; Native North Americans; Northwest Territories - epidemiology; Nunavut - epidemiology; Parasitology; Prevalence; Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus; Reindeer; Reindeer - immunology; Reindeer - parasitology; RESEARCH NOTE; Research Notes; Seroepidemiologic studies; Serology; Sheep; Toxoplasma - immunology; Toxoplasma gondii; Toxoplasmosis; Toxoplasmosis - epidemiology; Toxoplasmosis - immunology; Vertebrata; Wildlife; Zoos; Northwest Territories; Canada; Arctic Region; North America; America; Arctic Regions; Nunavut; Nunavut Territory Canada; San Francisco California; United States > US; Arctic region; Quebec Canada; Alaska; Northwest Territories Canada; Baffin Island; Victoria Island; Protozoa; Host parasite relation; Apicomplexa; Protozoal disease; Prevalence; Antibody; Host; Parasitosis; Infection; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Toxoplasma gondii; Rangifer tarandus; Toxoplasmosis; Parasitism; Artiodactyla; Ungulata
• ISSN: 0022-3395; 1937-2345
• DOI: 10.1645/0022-3395(2001)087[0439:POTGAI]2.0.CO;2

Prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii was determined in 147 barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) from 5 herds in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, northern Canada, by the modified agglutination test (MAT). In the mainland herds (Bluenose, Bathurst, and Beverly), antibodies were found in 43 (37%) of 117 caribou, and MAT titers were 1:25 in 10, 1:50 in 24, and 1:500 in 9. In the island herds, only 1 (4.3%) of 23 animals sampled from the North Baffin Island herd was positive (titer = 1:25) and no antibodies were detected in 7 caribou from the Dolphin and Union herd. The high prevalence of antibodies to T. gondii in the mainland caribou herds indicates that caribou meat may contain viable T. gondii.