Seropositivity and Risk Factors Associated with Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Wild Birds from Spain

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic intracellular protozoan parasite of worldwide distribution that infects many species of warm-blooded animals, including birds. To date, there is scant information about the seropositivity of T. gondii and the risk factors associated with T. gondii infection in wild bird populations. In the present study, T. gondii infection was evaluated on sera obtained from 1079 wild birds belonging to 56 species (including Falconiformes (n = 610), Strigiformes (n = 260), Ciconiiformes (n = 156), Gruiformes (n = 21), and other orders (n = 32), from different areas of Spain. Antibodies to T. gondii (modified agglutination test, MAT titer ≥1∶25) were found in 282 (26.1%, IC95%:23.5–28.7) of the 1079 birds. This study constitute the first extensive survey in wild birds species in Spain and reports for the first time T. gondii antibodies in the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus), short-toed snake-eagle (Circaetus gallicus), Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus), Western marsh-harrier (Circus aeruginosus), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), long-eared owl (Asio otus), common scops owl (Otus scops), Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), white stork (Ciconia ciconia), grey heron (Ardea cinerea), common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus); in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) “vulnerable” Spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti), lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) and great bustard (Otis tarda); and in the IUCN “near threatened” red kite (Milvus milvus). The highest seropositivity by species was observed in the Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo) (68.1%, 98 of 144). The main risk factors associated with T. gondii seropositivity in wild birds were age and diet, with the highest exposure in older animals and in carnivorous wild birds. The results showed that T. gondii infection is widespread and can be at a high level in many wild birds in Spain, most likely related to their feeding behaviour

Socioeconomic status, birth weight, maternal smoking during pregnancy and adiposity in early adult life: an analysis using structural equation modeling Situação sócio-econômica, peso ao nascer, tabagismo na gravidez e adiposidade na vida adulta jovem: uma análise utilizando-se modelagem com equações estruturais

We describe here an example of structural equation modeling in epidemiology. The association between birth weight and adiposity in early adult life, adjusted for the number of cigarettes smoked during pregnancy and socioeconomic status at birth, was evaluated. Data involving 2,063 adults from the 1978/1979 Ribeirão Preto cohort study were used. Adiposity was measured by body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and the sum of triceps and subscapular skinfolds (STSS). Models were submitted to maximum likelihood estimation, separately for men and women. Birth weight had a small and significant effect on adiposity in men (standardized coefficient, SC = 0.08) and women (SC = 0.09). Smoking during pregnancy did not influence adiposity in men (SC = 0.004), but its effect was marginally significant in women (SC = 0.07; P = 0.056). Socioeconomic status at birth had a small and positive effect on adiposity in men (SC = 0.08) and a moderate and negative effect in women (SC = -0.16). In this young adult population, BMI, WC and STSS used alone or in combination were valid estimators of body adiposity.<br>O objetivo desse artigo é apresentar um exemplo da modelagem com equações estruturais. Foi avaliada associação entre peso ao nascer e adiposidade na vida adulta jovem, ajustando-se para número de cigarros fumados na gravidez e situação sócio-econômica ao nascimento. Dados de 2.063 adultos da coorte de Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brasil, de 1978/1979 foram utilizados. A adiposidade foi medida pelo índice de massa corporal (IMC), circunferência da cintura, e somatório das pregas cutâneas subescapular e a tricipital. Os modelos foram estimados por máxima verossimilhança, separadamente para homens e mulheres. O peso ao nascer teve efeito pequeno e significante na adiposidade em homens (CP - coeficiente padronizado = 0,08) e mulheres (CP = 0,09). Tabagismo materno durante a gravidez não influenciou a adiposidade em homens (CP = 0,004), mas em mulheres a significância foi marginal (CP = 0,07; p = 0,056). O efeito da situação sócio-econômica da família ao nascimento foi pequeno e positivo para os homens (CP = 0,08) e moderado e negativo (CP = -0,16) para as mulheres. Nesta população adulta jovem, os indicadores utilizados sozinhos ou em conjunto mediram bem a adiposidade corporal