Detection and isolation of Toxoplasma gondii from fresh semen of naturally infected dogs in Southern Brazil.
The aim of this study was to isolate Toxoplasma gondii and determine the viability of the parasite in fresh semen samples of clinically healthy adult dogs naturally infected. Eleven seropositive dogs with T. gondii IgG antibodies from southern Brazil were selected to confirm the presence and viability of T. gondii in fresh semen samples using in vitro isolation in Vero cell culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing analysis. The presence of viable T. gondii was confirmed by in vitro isolation and PCR in five semen samples. The ITS1 region of the isolated protozoa (TG S4) was amplified and sequenced. The nucleotide sequence obtained was 99% compatible with the T. gondii DNA sequences stored in the GenBank. It has been shown that T. gondii tachyzoites may be isolated in vitro from fresh semen samples of clinically healthy dogs seropositive for T. gondii.
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
M O
MO
Koch
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Bioprocessos e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
R R
RR
Weiss
Laboratório de Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade de Camagüey, Camagüey, Cuba.
A A
AA
Cruz
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Bioprocessos e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
V T
VT
Soccol
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
K A
KA
Gonçalves
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Bioprocessos e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
Maf
M
Bertol
Laboratório de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
O C
OC
Beltrame
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
R L
RL
Dittrich
D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012661:Semen / Q000469:parasitology*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*
D016054:DNA, Protozoan