title: Biologic and molecular characterization of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from pigs from Portugal.
abstract: Little is known of Toxoplasma gondii infections in animals in Portugal. In the present paper, we report the first isolation of viable T. gondii from pigs in Portugal. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 52 (15.6%) of 333 pigs prior to slaughter using the modified agglutination test (MAT) at a serum dilution of 1:20. Attempts were made to isolate T. gondii from 37 seropositive pigs. Samples of brain and/or heart from each pig were digested in acid pepsin, and bioassayed into mice. Viable T. gondii was isolated from 15 pigs. Restriction fragment length polymorphism on products of SAG2 locus amplified by PCR and microsatellite analysis revealed that 11 isolates were Type II and four were Type III. The results indicate that phenotypically and genetically T. gondii are similar to isolates from pigs from the U.S.
authors.affiliation: Center for Parasite Immunology and Biology, INSA, Rua de S. Luis 16, 4000-509 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ajzenberg
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Canada
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.forename: J M Correia
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Dardé
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thulliez
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubey
mesh_terms: D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005838:Genotype; D051379:Mice; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D014709:Vero Cells / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C067547:surface antigen P22, Toxoplasma