Toxoplasma gondii transmission by artificial insemination in sheep with experimentally contaminated frozen semen.
Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite considered one of the major causes of reproductive problems in sheep. Furthermore, the presence of the agent in ram semen urges the possibility of sexual transmission in this species. The aim of this study was to evaluate if ram's frozen semen spiked with T. gondii tachyzoites would be able to cause infection in sheep by laparoscopic artificial insemination (AI). Nine ewes tested seronegative to anti-T. gondii antibodies by the modified agglutination test (MAT) were superovulated and inseminated to collect embryos. Animals were divided into two groups: G1 (n = 5), ewes inseminated with semen containing 4 × 107tachyzoites; and G2 (n = 4), ewes inseminated with tachyzoite-free semen (control group). To confirm infection, ewe's blood samples were collected on days -14, -7, 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 49 and 57 after AI for analysis by MAT and PCR. Tissue samples of these ewes were also collected for histopathology and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Seven days after AI, all ewes of group G1 had specific antibodies to T. gondii, while those of G2 were negative. Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in the blood of one ewe and parasites were observed in tissues of all five animals inseminated with contaminated semen, indicating that semen freezing protocol does not affect T. gondii transmission by artificial insemination in sheep.
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Veterinária (Clínica e Reprodução Animal), Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil. Electronic address: angelicaconsalter@hotmail.com.
Angélica
A
Consalter
Departamento de Medicina e Cirurgia Veterinária, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Andressa F
AF
Silva
Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, IOC/Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Edwards
E
Frazão-Teixeira
Laboratório de Reprodução e Melhoramento Genético Animal, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Brazil.
Luis F
LF
Matos
Laboratório de Sanidade Animal, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Brazil.
Francisco C R
FCR
de Oliveira
Laboratório de Anatomia Patológica Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil.
Juliana S
JS
Leite
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil.
Franciele B F
FBF
Silva
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Veterinária (Clínica e Reprodução Animal), Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil; Laboratório de Anatomia Patológica Veterinária, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Brazil.
Ana M R
AMR
Ferreira
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice / Q000469:parasitology; D012661:Semen / Q000469:parasitology*; D012662:Semen Preservation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*; D034561:Sheep, Domestic; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000502:physiology*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
IHC; Ovine; PCR; Reproductive disease; Semen; Toxoplasmosis