Isolation and Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii from a Patas Monkey ( Erythrocebus patas ) in China.

Many cases of infection have been reported worldwide in non-human primates (NHPs), especially in captive New World monkeys. However, few studies on toxoplasmosis in Old World monkeys have been conducted. In this study, serological and molecular biological analyses were carried out to look for antibodies and infection in 13 NHPs from China. infection was confirmed in 8 NHP cases. antibodies were detected in 1/5 New World monkeys and in 4/7 Old World monkeys. DNA was detected in 3/5 New World monkeys and 5/7 Old World monkeys. The one ring-tailed lemur was negative for both antibodies and DNA of . The most common clinical manifestations of infection were malaise, poor appetite, emaciation, and foamy nasal discharge. The most common histopathological findings were interstitial pneumonia, necrotic hepatitis, necrotizing myocarditis, lymphadenitis, and necrotic splenitis. One viable strain was successfully isolated from the myocardium of a patas monkey () by bioassay in mice. tachyzoites were obtained from cell cultures and were designated as TgMonkeyCHn2. The genotype of this strain belongs to ToxoDB genotype #9, and the allele of ROP18/ROP5 gene was 3/6. TgMonkeyCHn2 tachyzoites were avirulent in Swiss mice. To our knowledge, this is the first report of fatal toxoplasmosis in a patas monkey. infection in patas monkeys may indicate environmental contamination by oocysts. The patas monkey is a new host record for .