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Volume 26 Issue 28
December 1, 2005
Spotlight on Excellence
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Dr. Acholonu Presents Paper at an International Conference in New Zealand
Dr. Alex D. W. Acholonu, Professor of Biology at Alcorn State University, recently returned from Christchurch, New Zealand where he attended the International Conference of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology. He presented a paper titled "Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in pigs from southwestern Mississippi". The paper was co-authored by Mary Coleman, a graduated M.S. student and Dr. Abram Dunbar, Professor of Biology.
Dr. Acholonu said that Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite of public health importance. It is one of the opportunistic infections suffered by HIV/AIDS patients that hasten their demise, causing among other effects, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). Infection in humans has grave consequences. It is estimated to be the third leading cause of food-related deaths in the United States. Infections are acquired either by ingestion of oocysts (a stage in the life cycle) shed by cats (the definitive hosts) or by consumption of under-cooked infected meat of pigs, sheep, goats, chickens and many other domestic and wild animals. It is one of the most promiscuous parasites known to man infecting human beings and many domestic and wild animals. It was formerly believed that Toxoplasma gondii infections are subclinical unless acquired in utero (in the womb or congenitally), or the patient has a serious immunosuppressive condition (weakened immune system). Dr. Acholonu learned from the conference that toxoplasmosis (the desease) is associated with swollen lymph node, fever, weakness, inflammation of the eye and severe multisystemic infections in people who do not have immunosuppressive conditions (those that have good or normal immune system). It also causes abortion and encephalities in domestic and wild animals. Additionally, evidence is mounting linking toxoplasmosis with schizophrenia or similar psychiatric disorders. All these are new knowledge said Dr. Acholonu. Congenital toxoplasmosis is one of the most common infections that cause birth defects, mental retardation and visual problems world wide.
Dr. Acholonu recommends that people be more careful in handling or keeping cats; that meat from any animal be cooked to a minimum of 67 degrees celcius and knives, cutting boards, and hands be promptly washed with soap and water after handling raw meats. Public health polices should prohibit the practice of allowing pet or stray cats to roam about. Methods should be developed to reduce the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in food animals.
The reported study showed that the pigs in the Alcorn State University piggery farm at Churchill, located in Jefferson County, were more exposed to infection than pigs from other counties surveyed.
University Relations Staff
W. Christopher Cason,
Director
Sherita L Bailey, Administrative Assistant,
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Email: elenad@alcorn.edu
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