U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 close



Research
                Research Home
                            National Programs
                            Research Projects
                            Scientific Manuscripts
                            International Engagement
                            Scientific Software/Models
                            Databases and Datasets
                            Office of Scientific Quality Review
            Media
                News & Features
                            Multimedia
                            Briefing Room
                            Down on the Farm
                            Press Room
                            Science in Your Shopping Cart
                            Scientific Discoveries
                            Tellus
                            Under the Microscope
            About ARS
                About ARS Home
                            Staff Directory
                            Labs and Research Centers (Map)
                            Headquarter Offices
                            Organizational Chart
                            Employee Services (REE Employees Only)
                            Office of Outreach, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity
            Work With Us
                Work With Us Home
                            ARS Vacancies at USAJOBS
                            Careers at ARS Information
                            Scientific Collaborations
                            Extramural Agreements
                            1890 Faculty Research Sabbatical ProgramSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            Dubey, Jitender
  Submitted to: Veterinary Parasitology
                                    Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2009
                                    Publication  Date: 10/1/2009
                                    Citation: Dubey, J.P. 2009. Toxoplasmosis in pigs-The last 20 years. Veterinary Parasitology. 164:89-103.Interpretive Summary: Toxoplasma gondii is a single-celled parasite of all warm-blooded hosts worldwide. It causes mental retardation and loss of vision in children, and abortion in livestock. Cats are the main reservoir of T. gondii because they are the only hosts that can excrete the resistant stage (oocyst) of the parasite in the feces. Humans become infected by eating undercooked meat from infected animals and food and water contaminated with oocysts. A scientist at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center describes toxoplasmosis in pigs. The results will be of interest to biologists, parasitologists, and veterinarians.
                                Technical Abstract: Pigs are important to the economy of many countries because they are a source of food for humans. Infected pig meat is a source of Toxoplasma gondii infection for humans and animals in many countries. This parasite also causes mortality in pigs, especially neonatal pigs. Most pigs acquire T. gondii infection postnatally by ingestion of oocysts from contaminated environment or ingestion of infected tissues of animals.  Few pigs become infected prenatally by transplacental transmission of the parasite. Raising pigs indoors in confinement has greatly reduced T. gondii infection in pigs but the recent trend of organic farming is likely to increase T. gondii infection in pigs. Recently, feeding goat whey to pigs was found to be a risk factor for T. gondii infection in organically-raised pigs. Currently used molecular and histopathological methods are insensitive for the detection of T. gondii in pork because of the low concentration of the parasite in meat destined for human consumption. There is no vaccine to prevent T. gondii infection in pigs but efforts are being continued to develop a non-viable vaccine. In the present paper, information on prevalence, transmission, diagnosis, and control of porcine toxoplasmosis in the last 20 years (since 1988 when last reviewed by this author) is reviewed. Worldwide reports of clinical and asymptomatic infections in pigs are reviewed. Methods to detect T. gondii in pigs are compared. Recent studies on genetic typing of T. gondii strains prevalent in pigs are discussed with respect to epidemiology. Because wild pigs are hunted for food for human consumption prevalence in wild pigs is summarized.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov