Characterization of Toxoplasma Gondii Using Gra6-Pcr–Rflp in Sheep (Ovis Aries) Slaughtered in Central Iran Publisher

Summary: Can sheep carry diverse toxoplasmosis strains? Genetic analysis found multiple Toxoplasma gondii types in sheep, highlighting the need for broader surveillance. #Toxoplasmosis #FoodSafety

Kalantari R ; Pestechian N ; Esmaeilifallah M
Source: Journal of Parasitic Diseases Published:2026

Abstract

Since mutton/lamb is one of the main animal proteins in the human diet in most countries, the use of raw, uncooked, and other products can potentially be a real risk factor in human toxoplasmosis. The current study was conducted to determine the genetic structure of Toxoplasma gondii isolated from different organs of sheep in Isfahan, central Iran. One hundred twenty tissue samples of the brain, heart, diaphragm, and esophagus were gathered from two Isfahan province high-throughput abattoirs. DNA extraction was done, and nested PCR was conducted with the GRA6 loci. The restriction fragment length polymorphism technique using the MseI enzyme was used to distinguish between strains into three principal lineages of T. gondii. Amplicons of the second round of nested PCR were sequenced and compared with the NCBI database. Out of 120 samples tested, 49 (40.83%) were positive. The most positive cases, 53.33%, were observed in the brain and heart. Amplicon sequence analysis detected clonal type I and II alleles. The genetic characterization of T. gondii isolates from sheep showed the same genetic diversity as Homo sapiens and other livestock in our country. As a result, increasing the use of markers for genotyping and sampling efforts is recommended to estimate T. gondii intra-specific genetic diversity more accurately. © Indian Society for Parasitology 2026.