Isolation and genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii from free-range ducks in Malaysia

Avian Dis. 2013 Mar;57(1):128-32. doi: 10.1637/10304-071212-ResNote.1.

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is a parasitic protozoan that infects nearly one-third of humans. The present study was performed to isolate and genotype T. gondii from free-range ducks in Malaysia. Sera, heads, and hearts from 205 ducks were obtained from four states in Peninsular Malaysia, and 30 (14.63%) sera were found to be seropositive when assayed with the modified agglutination test (MAT > or = 1:6). All the positive samples were inoculated into mice, and T. gondii was successfully isolated from four individual duck samples (1.95%), which were initially found to be strongly seropositive (MAT > or = 1:24). The isolates were subjected to PCR-RFLP analysis, and two T. gondii strains were identified: type I and type II. This is the first reported study on the genetic characterization of T. gondii isolates from free-range farm animals in Southeast Asia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agglutination Tests / veterinary
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
  • Brain / parasitology
  • Ducks*
  • Genotype
  • Heart / parasitology
  • Malaysia / epidemiology
  • Mice
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
  • Poultry Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Poultry Diseases / parasitology
  • Prevalence
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Toxoplasma / classification*
  • Toxoplasma / genetics*
  • Toxoplasma / immunology
  • Toxoplasma / isolation & purification
  • Toxoplasmosis, Animal / blood
  • Toxoplasmosis, Animal / epidemiology*
  • Toxoplasmosis, Animal / parasitology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Protozoan