Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in tissues of sheep orally challenged with different doses of oocysts.
The presence of Toxoplasma gondii in blood, brain, cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle (gracillis and psoas) of sheep 6 weeks after experimental infection with 10(5), 10(4) and 10(3) T. gondii oocysts was determined using the PCR technique. The study demonstrates that oral infection of sheep with T. gondii oocysts of the M3 isolate results in parasites being detectable in tissues 6 weeks p.i. The PCR detection was much more sensitive than histological detection. Parasite DNA was detected more frequently and consistently in the group of sheep given 10(5) oocysts compared with those given 10(3) oocysts. The brain and heart were most frequently infected compared with the other tissues.
Moredun Research Institute, International Research Centre, Midlothian, U.K. estei@mri.sari.ac.uk
I
I
Esteban-Redondo
E A
EA
Innes
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D002415:Cats; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009928:Organ Specificity; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012756:Sheep / Q000469:parasitology*; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013997:Time Factors; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G