title: Application of different techniques to detect Toxoplasma gondii in slaughtered sheep for human consumption.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii in sheep slaughtered in the state of Alagoas, Brazil, by means of different diagnosis techniques. Serum samples and tissues from 100 slaughtered sheep were used. To detect antibodies, the indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) was used, and tissues from seropositive animals (cut-off ≥1:64) were submitted to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). To assess the concordance between the direct techniques, the kappa test was used. In the IFAT, it was observed that 14% (14/100) of the ovine samples were serum-positive. In the PCR, 21.43% (3/14) of the animals were positive and in IHC, it was observed that 7.14% (1/14) were positively stained for T. gondii in cerebral tissue. Histopathologically, the predominant finding was the presence of mononuclear cell infiltrate in the heart and a perivascular cuff in the cerebrum and cerebellum. The concordance between the direct diagnosis techniques was moderate (k=0.44). Thus, it is important to use different direct techniques in diagnosing toxoplasmosis in naturally infected sheep.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Viçosa, AL, Brasil.
authors.forename: Annelise Castanha Barreto Tenório
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.affiliation: Veterinário Autônomo, Maceió, AL, Brasil.
authors.forename: Edna Maria Vieira
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Veterinário Autônomo, Maceió, AL, Brasil.
authors.forename: José Aelson
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Elise Myuki
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Pomy de Cássia Peixoto
authors.initials: Pde C
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Jonatas Campos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.affiliation: Centro de Controle de Zoonoses, Maceió, AL, Brasil.
authors.forename: Kleber Barros
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Rinaldo Aparecido
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Mota
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis*; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology; D001938:Brazil; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012756:Sheep / Q000469:parasitology*; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000276:immunology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan