Molecular prevalence, phylogeny and hematological impact of Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium spp. in common quails from Punjab, Pakistan
| 期刊 | PloS one |
| 发表日期 | 2024 |
| 作者 | Ahmad Ghafoor; Masud Ardas; Naeem Muhammad; Ghafar Abdul; Muqaddas Hira; Qamar Muhammad Fiaz; Swelum Ayman A; Al-Garadi Maged A; Jabir Majid S; Said Mourad Ben; Khan Adil; Iqbal Furhan |
| DOI | 10.1371/journal.pone.0304179 |
| PMID | 38820542 |
原始摘要
This study investigates the molecular prevalence and phylogenetic characteristics of two prominent blood-borne pathogens, Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) and Plasmodium spp., in common quails (Coturnix coturnix) sampled from both wild (N = 236) and farmed (N = 197) populations across four districts (Layyah, Dera Ghazi Khan, Lahore, and Multan) in Punjab, Pakistan, during the hunting seasons from 2021 to 2023. Additionally, the impact of these pathogens on the complete blood count (CBC) of the hosts is examined. Out of 433 quails tested, 25 (5.8%) exhibited amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) gene for T. gondii, while 15 (3.5%) showed amplification of the Cytochrome b gene for Plasmodium spp. A risk factor analysis indicated that the prevalence of both pathogens was not confined to specific sampling sites or bird sexes (P > 0.05). District-wise analysis highlighted that hens were more susceptible to both T. gondii and Plasmodium spp. infections than cocks. Wild quails exhibited a higher susceptibility to T. gondii compared to farmed birds. Significant CBC variations were recorded in infected birds as compared to uninfected ones. BLAST analysis of generated sequences has confirmed the identity of recovered PCR amplicons as T. gondii and Plasmodium relictum. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Pakistani isolates clustered with those reported from various countries globally. This study provides the first documentation of T. gondii and Plasmodium sp. infections in Pakistani quails, underscoring the need for detailed investigations across different regions to enhance our understanding of infection rates and the zoonotic potential of these parasites.
| 撤稿日期 | 2026 |
| 撤稿期刊 | PloS one |
| 发布机构 | United States |
| 通知PMID | 42490552 |
Expression of Concern: Molecular prevalence, phylogeny and hematological impact of Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium spp. in common quails from Punjab, Pakistan