title: Isolate designation and characterization of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from pigs in the United States.
abstract: Pigs are considered to be the most important meat source of Toxoplasma gondii for humans in the United States. In the present study, 168 T. gondii isolates (designated TgPgUs15-182) from various sources were genotyped using 10 polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) markers (SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, and Apico). Genotyping data from an additional 14 isolates collected from T. gondii-infected pigs in Maryland were included for analysis. Nine genotypes (1-9) were recognized from the 182 T. gondii isolates. Most (56%, 102) isolates were clonal Type II (genotypes 1 and 2) and 27% (49) were clonal Type III (genotype 3) strains. Genotype 4 had Type II alleles, with the exception of Type I alleles at loci Apico and L358. Eight isolates (genotype 5) from Iowa had a combination of alleles I, II, and III at different loci. The remaining 6 isolates were divided into genotypes 6-9 and had a combination of different alleles. Eight of the 9 genotypes were previously reported in different animal species and geographic regions. In conclusion, along with the predominance of clonal Type II and III strains, a few diverse, previously unrecognized T. gondii lineages were found circulating in domestic pigs used for human consumption.
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350, USA.
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Velmurugan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubey
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D002415:Cats; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D005838:Genotype; D008396:Maryland; D008460:Meat / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000469:parasitology*; D014481:United States; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D005819:Genetic Markers