New genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii obtained from farm animals in Northeast Brazil

Res Vet Sci. 2013 Feb 5. pii: S0034-5288(13)00008-8. doi: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2013.01.006. [Epub ahead of print]
Clementino Andrade MM, Pinheiro BV, Cunha MM, Carneiro AC, Andrade Neto VF, Vitor RW.

Source

Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, UFMG, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil; Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, Centro de Biociências, UFRN, Natal 59072-970, Brazil.

Abstract

Genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii in different regions of Brazil has shown high diversity and high frequency of virulent genotypes among Brazilian animals. The aim of the study was to characterize samples of T. gondii isolates obtained from naturally infected sheep, goats, pigs and free-range chickens slaughtered for human consumption in Rio Grande do Norte, Northeast Brazil. Nineteen T. gondii samples (isolated from 1 goat, 5 pigs and 13 free-range chickens) were genotyped. Six different genotypes were identified, including two novel genotypes. The archetype genotypes, i.e., types I, II and III, were not found. In mice, seventeen isolates (89.5%) were classified as virulent, and only two (10.5%) were classified as avirulent. This study displays the genotypic variability of the parasite in Northeast Brazil.

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