In vitro culture of toxoplasma gondii for dye test in captive wild felids

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular coccidian parasite the infects virtually all species of warm-blooded animals, including people and causes serious diseases in immunocompromised hosts. Live tachyzoites derived from serial passage in HeLa culture was used in the Sabin-Feldman dye test for detection of T. gondii antibody Serum samples of 21 captive wild felids including on fishing cat (Prion nailurus uiverrina), one leopard (Panthera pardus), two flat-headed cat (Prion nailurus uiverrina), two clouded leopards (Felis nebulosa), three pumas (Puma concolor), and four jungle cats (Felis chaus) were collected. Antibodies to T. gondii were founded in nine of 21 felids (42.8%). This study revealed that cell culture-derived tachyzoites can be used successfully as a source of live organisms in a gold standard Sabin-Feldman dye test which provides more simple, cheaper and less ethically sensitive than in vivo inoculation.