{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,3]],"date-time":"2026-08-03T14:28:47Z","timestamp":1785767327676,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]],"date-time":"2025-09-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759104000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Vet. Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:p>The guinea pig (<jats:italic>Cavia porcellus<\/jats:italic>) is commonly used as a laboratory model or kept as a pet in many Western countries; however, in Andean countries like Ecuador, it is raised as livestock. Despite its importance to rural local economies, specific management guidelines for guinea pig farming have not been enforced by animal or public health authorities. Several reports indicate that guinea pigs raised as livestock serve as incidental host for respiratory and enteric pathogens, including <jats:italic>Toxoplasma gondii<\/jats:italic>. This study analysed the seroprevalence of antibodies against several pathogens relevant to public health and animal production in Ecuador: Influenza A, <jats:italic>Brucella<\/jats:italic> spp., <jats:italic>Coxiella burnetii<\/jats:italic>, <jats:italic>Toxoplasma gondii<\/jats:italic>, and <jats:italic>Neospora caninum.<\/jats:italic> Blood samples from 240 guinea pigs were collected in the cantons of Cuenca, Paute, and Gualaceo, in the Azuay province of Ecuador. Seropositive animals were detected for two pathogens\u2014Influenza A and <jats:italic>T. gondii<\/jats:italic>\u2014with prevalence rates of 1.67% (95% CI: 0.46\u20134.21) and 16.25% (95% CI: 11.82\u201321.54), respectively. There were not seropositive animals for <jats:italic>Brucella<\/jats:italic> spp.<jats:italic>, Coxiella burnetii<\/jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Neospora caninum.<\/jats:italic> These results underscore the potential role of guinea pigs as incidental host for Influenza A and support their inclusion in surveillance programs for panzootic flu outbreaks. Additionally, guinea pigs may play a significant role in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in the Andean regions of Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia, where similar findings have been reported.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2025.1657510","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]],"date-time":"2025-09-29T04:12:37Z","timestamp":1759119157000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Guinea pigs raised as livestock are incidental host of Toxoplasma gondii and Influenza A in Ecuador"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Mauricio Xavier","family":"Salas-Rueda","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Patricia","family":"Peralta-Ortiz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jairo","family":"Guama-Tipas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Katherine Natalia","family":"Ch\u00e1vez Toledo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"M\u00f3nica","family":"Espadero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pedro","family":"Webster","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Juan","family":"Masache-Masache","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Karla Monica","family":"Illescas Sigcha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fabiola Estefania","family":"Yungazaca Jaramillo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Angel Sebastian","family":"Rodr\u00edguez-Pazmi\u00f1o","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fabricio Arcos","family":"Alcivar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Solon Alberto","family":"Orlando","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Miguel \u00c1ngel","family":"Garcia-Bereguiain","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"79","DOI":"10.1038\/laban.486","article-title":"The all-purpose guinea pig","volume":"43","year":"2014","journal-title":"Lab Anim"},{"key":"ref2","first-page":"437","article-title":"Notes on the origin of the domestic guinea-pig","volume":"34","author":"Weir","year":"1975","journal-title":"Symposia Zool Soc Lond"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"39","DOI":"10.19053\/01228420.v14.n1.2017.6086","article-title":"Caracterizaci\u00f3n de la carne de cuy (Cavia porcellus) para utilizarla en la elaboraci\u00f3n de un embutido fermentado","volume":"14","author":"Flores-Mancheno","year":"2017","journal-title":"Ciencia y Agricultura"},{"key":"ref4","article-title":"El Tel\u00e9grafo - M\u00e1s de 710 mil familias se dedican a la crianza de cuyes en el pa\u00eds","year":""},{"key":"ref5","volume-title":"Crianza de cuyes ayuda a reconversi\u00f3n de actividades productivas \u2013 Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganader\u00eda","year":""},{"key":"ref6","article-title":"Livestock guinea pigs: a comprehensive review from a one health perspective","author":"Salas Rueda","year":"2025","journal-title":"Trop Anim Health Prod"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3449","DOI":"10.3390\/ani12243449","article-title":"Role of Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) raised as livestock in Ecuadorian Andes as reservoirs of zoonotic yeasts","volume":"12","author":"Buela","year":"2022","journal-title":"Animals"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1135","DOI":"10.3201\/EID1807.111930","article-title":"Influenza virus infection in Guinea pigs raised as livestock, Ecuador","volume":"18","author":"Leyva-Grado","year":"2012","journal-title":"Emer Infec Dis"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107505","DOI":"10.1016\/J.ACTATROPICA.2024.107505","article-title":"Respiratory pathogens carriage in Guinea pigs raised as livestock in Ecuador: a proxy to study a neglected reservoir for zoonotic transmission in the Andean region","volume":"261","author":"Rodriguez-Pazmi\u00f1o","year":"2025","journal-title":"Acta Trop"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100118","DOI":"10.1016\/J.ONEHLT.2019.100118","article-title":"Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus Aureus carriage among Guinea pigs raised as livestock in Ecuador","volume":"9","author":"Zambrano-Mila","year":"2020","journal-title":"One Health"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"136","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anicom.2025.05.001","article-title":"Cytological and histopathological lesions consistent with cutaneous nasal cryptococcosis in a guinea pig (Cavia porcellus). Revue V\u00e9t\u00e9rinaire","volume":"60","author":"Moraes","year":"2025","journal-title":"Clinique"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e13132","DOI":"10.1590\/1678-4162-13132","article-title":"Sporotrichosis in guinea pig (Cavia porcellus)-case report","volume":"76","author":"Prazeres J\u00fanior","year":"2024","journal-title":"Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria e Zootecnia"},{"key":"ref13","first-page":"548","article-title":"Characterization of a novel parainfluenza virus, caviid parainfluenza virus 3, from laboratory guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus)","volume":"52","author":"Simmons","year":"2002","journal-title":"Comp Med"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"382","DOI":"10.1111\/1758-2229.12396","article-title":"Hyperendemic Campylobacter jejuni in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) raised for food in a semi-rural community of Quito","volume":"8","author":"Graham","year":"2016","journal-title":"Ecuador Environ Microbiol Rep"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100630","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vprsr.2021.100630","article-title":"Ocurrence of enteroparasites with zoonotic potential in animals of the rural area of San Andres, Chimborazo, Ecuador","volume":"26","author":"Gonz\u00e1lez-Ram\u00edrez","year":"2021","journal-title":"Vet Parasitol: Reg Stud Reports"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101038","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vprsr.2024.101038","article-title":"Molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic and wild guinea pigs (Cavia spp) from the Marangani district in Cuzco, Peru","volume":"52","author":"Roller","year":"2024","journal-title":"Vet Parasitol: Reg Stud Reports"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"100801","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vprsr.2022.100801","article-title":"First serological and molecular detection of Toxoplasma gondii in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) used for human consumption in Nari\u00f1o, Colombia, South America","volume":"36","author":"Ca\u00f1\u00f3n-Franco","year":"2022","journal-title":"Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1276","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.19-0517","article-title":"Identification of Bartonella rochalimae in Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) and fleas collected from rural Peruvian households","volume":"101","author":"Rizzo","year":"2019","journal-title":"The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene"},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"744","DOI":"10.1590\/1678-4162-11459","article-title":"Cutaneous leishmaniasis in Cavia porcellus (guinea pig): case report","volume":"72","author":"Rosa","year":"2020","journal-title":"Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria e Zootecnia"},{"key":"ref20","article-title":"Infection of Brucella melitensis in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus)","volume":"70","author":"Verma","year":"2000","journal-title":"Indian J Anim Sci"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s12917-019-1924-7","article-title":"Serology for Neosporosis, Q fever and brucellosis to assess the cause of abortion in two dairy cattle herds in Ecuador","volume":"15","author":"Changoluisa","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMC Vet Res"},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"701","DOI":"10.2147\/IDR.S195940","article-title":"Serological evidence of Coxiella burnetii infection in cattle and farm workers: is Q fever an underreported zoonotic disease in Ecuador?","volume":"12","author":"Echeverr\u00eda","year":"2019","journal-title":"Infect Drug Resist"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"427","DOI":"10.1016\/j.prevetmed.2015.01.007","article-title":"Coxiella burnetii seroprevalence and associated risk factors in dairy and mixed cattle farms from Ecuador","volume":"118","author":"Carbonero","year":"2015","journal-title":"Prev Vet Med"},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"197","DOI":"10.1007\/s11250-017-1421-6","article-title":"Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Brucella Seropositivity in dairy and mixed cattle herds from Ecuador","volume":"50","author":"Carbonero","year":"2018","journal-title":"Trop Anim Health Prod"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.onehlt.2024.100909","article-title":"A first insight into seropositivity and risk factors for Brucella spp. and Coxiella burnetii in free-roaming dogs in Ecuador","volume":"19","author":"Rodriguez-Pazmi\u00f1o","year":"2024","journal-title":"One Health"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101045","DOI":"10.1016\/j.onehlt.2025.101045","article-title":"A first insight into the occurrence of Leptospira, Brucella and Coxiella burnetii infections in wild mammals rescued from illegal trade in Ecuador: a proxy for one health conservation policies","volume":"20","author":"Rivera","year":"2025","journal-title":"One Health"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1068","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2022.1068129","article-title":"Coxiella burnetii in ticks, livestock, pets, and wildlife: a mini-review","volume":"9","author":"Celina","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Vet Sci"},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2593","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2018.02593","article-title":"A neglected animal model for a neglected disease: Guinea pigs and the search for an improved animal model for human brucellosis","volume":"9","author":"Hensel","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front Microbiol"},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amjms.2019.04.006","article-title":"The discovery of Q fever and its cause","volume":"358","author":"Hirschmann","year":"2019","journal-title":"Am J Med Sci"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107245","DOI":"10.1016\/j.actatropica.2024.107245","article-title":"A first insight into seropositivity of Neospora caninum and associated risk factors in free-roaming dogs from Ecuador","volume":"256","author":"Rodriguez-Pazmi\u00f1o","year":"2024","journal-title":"Acta Trop"},{"key":"ref31","first-page":"6","article-title":"Wild hosts in Argentina of the genera Sarcocystis, toxoplasma, Neospora, and Cryptosporidium","volume":"44","author":"Runco","year":"2024","journal-title":"Analecta veterinaria"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1004","DOI":"10.23857\/dc.v7i6.2377","article-title":"An\u00e1lisis Del Manejo, Producci\u00f3n y Comercializaci\u00f3n Del Cuy (Cavia Porcellus L.) En Ecuador","volume":"7","author":"Reyes-Silva","year":"2021","journal-title":"T\u00e9cnicas Aplicadas"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/jtm\/taad03230","article-title":"First case of human infection with highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza a virus in South America: a new zoonotic pandemic threat for 2023?","volume":"30","author":"Bruno","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Travel Med"},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijid.2023.04.403","article-title":"Phylogenetic analysis reveals that the H5N1 avian influenza a outbreak in poultry in Ecuador in November 2022 is associated with the highly pathogenic clade 2.3.4.4b","volume":"133","author":"Bruno","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int J Infect Dis"},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"245","DOI":"10.1007\/s11908-024-00849-5","article-title":"Highly pathogenic avian influenza a (H5N1) virus outbreak in Ecuador in 2022\u20132024","volume":"26","author":"Bruno","year":"2024","journal-title":"Curr Infect Dis Rep"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/j.virol.2025.110602","article-title":"Highly pathogenic avian influenza a (H5N1) virus outbreaks in South America in 2022\u20132024: a comprehensive review of an ongoing panzootic","author":"Bruno","year":"2025","journal-title":"Virology"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2807\/1560-7917.es.2023.28.3.2300001","article-title":"Highly pathogenic avian influenza a(H5N1) virus infection in farmed minks, Spain, October 2022","volume":"28","author":"Ag\u00fcero","year":"2023","journal-title":"Euro Surveill"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Veterinary Science"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fvets.2025.1657510\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]],"date-time":"2025-09-29T04:12:39Z","timestamp":1759119159000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fvets.2025.1657510\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]]},"references-count":37,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fvets.2025.1657510"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fvets.2025.1657510","relation":{},"ISSN":["2297-1769"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2297-1769","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]]},"article-number":"1657510"}}