title: Isolation and genotyping of viable Toxoplasma gondii from sheep and goats in Ethiopia destined for human consumption.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that infects humans and a broad spectrum of warm-blooded vertebrates. The present study was undertaken with the objectives of isolation and determining the genotypes of T. gondii strains from sheep and goats slaughtered in East and West Shewa Zones of Oromia Regional State, Central Ethiopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hearts of 47 sheep and 44 goats that were seropositive in the Direct Agglutination Test (DAT) were bioassayed in mice. A multiplex PCR assay with 15 microsatellite markers was employed for genotyping of T. gondii isolates from sheep and goats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Viable T. gondii were isolated from 47 (51.65%) animals, 27 sheep and 20 goats. Most isolates caused sub-clinical infections in mice, however, 2 sheep and 1 goat isolates were mouse-virulent, killing mice between 19-27 days post-inoculation. The success of T. gondii isolation in mice increased significantly (P = 0.0001) with higher DAT antibody titers in sheep and goats. Genotyping revealed that 29 (87.88%) of the 33 isolates were Type II, 3 (9.09%) were Type III and 1 (3.03%) was atypical. Three strains (one type II, one type III, and the atypical genotype) were virulent for mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  T. gondii tissue cysts in sheep and goats slaughtered for human consumption are widespread. This is the first report on isolation and genotyping of T. gondii from sheep and goats of Ethiopia.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Department of Veterinary Laboratory Technology, Ambo University, P, O, Box 19, Ambo, Ethiopia. endrias.zewdu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Endrias Zewdu
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Gebremedhin
authors.forename: Mukarim
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdurahaman
authors.forename: Tesfaye Sisay
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Tessema
authors.forename: Getachew
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tilahun
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Goddeeris
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dorny
authors.forename: Stephane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Craeye
authors.forename: Marie-Laure
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Dardé
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ajzenberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005838:Genotype; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D006041:Goats; D051379:Mice; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D014774:Virulence