Iraqi Journal of Veterinary Sciences

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite that can cause significant morbidity in human beings and animals. Up to our knowledge no data is known of genetic diversity of T. gondii in sheep in Iraq. This study aim to detect the strains (genotypes) of T. gondii isolates from sheep in Wasit province, east of Iraq. A total of 315 samples (blood 300 and placenta's tissue 15) were collected from aborted ewes, which initially had been examined serologically by LAT, then further tested by RT-PCR through B1 gene amplification to confirm the infection with T. gondii. After that, the positive DNA samples were assayed for genetic characterization depending upon nested PCR- RFLP of SAG2 gene. Out of 315 examined samples, 10 were confirmed positive T. gondii DNA. The genotyping assay of them revealed that 60% (6/10), 30% (3/10) and 10% (1/10) of examined isolates represent the genotypes of II, III and I respectively. The type II appeared as dominant in sheep in Wasit province, Iraq.