Molecular and serological detection of T. gondii in sheep in Wasit province

Abstract EN

The present study was conducted during the period from October 2013 to May 2014 in Wasit province to detect the infection of T.

gondii in sheep using molecular and serological methods.

Three hundred and five samples (300 blood samples and 5 placentas) were collected from suspected sheep.

The serum samples were separated and examined by latex ʺagglutination testʺ to detect Toxoplasmosis serologically.

Then 100 blood samples and 5 placental tissue samples were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique to detect the infection molecularly.

The Serological results showed that 33.33% were positive (31.33% with chronic infection and 2% with acute infection).

It was noted that the highest rate of infection was among the ages which is equal to or more than 3 years (≥3 years), reaching 45.55%, with significant difference (P≤0.05) between these ages.

The present study indicated a lack of months effect on the distribution of parasite infection rates where these different months recorded relatively close rate ranged between 31.4% -35.97% with no significant difference (P<0.05).

Regarding to polymerase chain reaction test, when a fragment of 399bp was amplified from B1 gene, the result showed that 4% of blood samples and 80% of placental tissue samples were positive to this test.

In conclusion the Toxoplasma infection in sheep is relatively high in Wasit province.