Abstract：
Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan parasite that infects most warm-blooded animals, including birds. Scavenging birds are epidemiologically important hosts because they can serve as indicators of environmental T. gondii levels. A rapid point-of-care (POC) test that detects antibodies to T. gondii in humans is commercially available. In this research, we assessed the ability of the human POC test to detect anti-T. gondii antibodies in 106 black vultures (Coragyps atratus) and 23 ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) from Pennsylvania, USA. Serum samples were tested with the POC test and compared to the modified agglutination test (MAT) in a blinded study. Overall, anti-T. gondii antibodies were detected in 2.8% (3/106) of black vultures and 60.9% (14/23) of ring-billed gulls by the POC test. One false-positive POC test occurred in a black vulture that was negative by MAT. False-negative results were obtained in 2 black vultures and 4 ring-billed gulls that had MAT titers of 1:25 or 1:50. The sensitivity and specificity of the POC for both black vultures and ring-billed gulls combined were 95.7% and 95.5%, respectively. This is the first study using human POC tests to detect antibodies to T. gondii in birds. Further study of the rapid test as a screening tool for serological surveillance of T. gondii in birds is warranted.
摘要：
弓形虫是一种人畜共患的原生动物寄生虫，感染大多数温血动物，包括鸟类。清除鸟类是流行病学上重要的宿主，因为它们可以作为环境弓形虫水平的指标。检测人体中弓形虫抗体的快速即时(POC)测试是市售的。在这项研究中,我们评估了人类POC测试检测抗T的能力。来自宾夕法尼亚州的106只黑秃鹰（Coragypsatratus）和23只环嘴海鸥（Larusdelawarensis）中的gondii抗体，美国。血清样品用POC测试进行测试，并与盲法研究中的改良凝集测试（MAT）进行比较。总的来说,反T.通过POC测试，在2.8％（3/106）的黑秃鹰和60.9％（14/23）的环嘴海鸥中检测到刚地抗体。在MAT阴性的黑色秃鹰中发生了一次假阳性POC测试。在MAT滴度为1：25或1：50的2只黑秃鹰和4只环嘴海鸥中获得了假阴性结果。POC对黑秃鹰和环嘴海鸥的敏感性和特异性分别为95.7％和95.5％，分别。这是第一项使用人类POC测试检测鸟类中弓形虫抗体的研究。有必要进一步研究快速测试作为鸟类弓形虫血清学监测的筛选工具。
