Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Toxoplasma gondii can spread through semen in male dogs
By Arantes, Tiago Pereira et al.·Published in Experimental parasitology·2009·CPPAR - Animal Health Research Center, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Toxoplasma gondii: Evidence for the transmission by semen in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Ten male dogs were tested to see if they could transmit a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii through their semen. After being infected, the dogs showed signs of the parasite in their semen and tissues. When female dogs were artificially inseminated with this semen, they showed signs of infection within a week. While two of the female dogs lost their pregnancies, the others carried their puppies to term, and some of the puppies had the parasite in their brains. This study suggests that T. gondii can be passed between dogs during mating.
People also search for: dog semen infection · Toxoplasma gondii in dogs · dog pregnancy complications · how is Toxoplasma transmitted in dogs
Abstract
Ten male dogs were distributed into three experimental groups for infection with Toxoplasma gondii: GI - three dogs inoculated with 2.0x10(5) P strais oocysts, GII - three dogs infected with 1.0x10(6) RH strain tachyzoites, and GIII - four controls dogs. Several clinical parameters were evaluated. IFAT was performed to detect anti-T. gondii antibodies. Presence of the parasite in semen was evaluated by PCR and bioassay techniques. Tissue parasitism was examined using bioassays and immunohistochemistry in testicle and epididymis fragments collected after orchiectomy. In semen samples collected from these two groups, the presence of T. gondii was verified by bioassays and PCR. T. gondii was detected by immunohistochemistry in tissues (testicle and epididymis fragments) of all six experimentally infected dogs. The T. gondii-positive seminal samples were used in the artificial insemination (AI) of four female dogs free of toxoplasmic infection. Seven days after AI, all of the female dogs presented serologic conversion (IFAT). Fetal reabsorption occurred in two of the dogs, while the others sustained full-term gestation. Several T. gondii cysts were detected in the brains of four offspring. These results suggest that T. gondii can be sexually transmitted in domestic dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19622353/