Genotyping of Zoonotic Toxoplasm gondii Isolated from Aborted Fetuses of Ewes of Lorestan Province Based on SAG2، SAG3 and GRA6 Molecular Markers

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that infects all warm-blooded animals as well as human worldwide. Determining the parasite genotype in intermediate hosts is crucial in evaluating the role of these types in human infections as wll as in prevention programs. Therefore, this study aimed to identify and detect the genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii in aborted fetuses of ewes in Lorestan province.
Identification of the parasite was performed on the brain and liver tissues of 142 aborted fetuses using a conventional PCR based on amplification of highly repetitive 529 bp region of the parasite genome. Genotyping of positive samples, which were isolated from the brain and liver, was performed by PCR-RFLP based on SAG2, SAG3 and GRA6 molecular markers.
From a total of 142 samples obtained from brain and fetus, 10 cases (7%) were determined as positive samples based on conventional PCR. The precence of parasite DNA was also confirmed in the liver of 3 positive samples. Evaluation of RFLP pattern of amplified SAG2, SAG3 and GRA6 genes showed the presence of various types of parasites, incuding type I in 3 samples, type II in 2 samples and atypical type in 5 samples.
Isolation of types I, II and atypical type of T. gondii from ewes in Lorestan province suggests the need for greater attention to parasite transmission from livestock to human, particularly in pregnant women and people with weakened immune system.