Tissue penetration of toxoplasmosis in experimental rats

Abstract EN

Toxoplasma gondiiis an intracellular protozoa, widespread throughout the world, and it has the ability to infect many organs in the body such as the brain, eyes, liver and spleen.In this study, 56 rats(28 males and 28 females) were divided into two groups, the first group28 rats(14 male and 14 female) was inoculated with normal saline to serve as control,and the second group 28 rats(14 male and 14 female)was infected intraperitonealy with placental fluid containing1×107tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii.

After 2 months of infection, the infection was confirmed by using real-time PCR, and the animals were scarified.

Brain, liver and spleen tissues were fixed in 10% formalin for histological examination.The results indicated that the parasite invaded many tissues and caused many histopathological changes.

The parasite (tissue cyst stage containing bradyzoite and tachyzoite stage) were recorded in the braintissues of both males and females.The brain tissues also revealed many histological changes included inflammatory manifestations and a wide areas of edema.

The groups of laboratory rats which infected with T.

gondii showed several histological changes in the liver tissue, included congestion of the central vein, expansion of the jaundice and accumulation of the inflammatory cells in several sites of the liver.

The spleen of infected group showed hemorrhage, extra-medullary mega karyocytosis, necrosis, fibrosis and degeneration of spleen tissues.