SEROLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR DETECTION OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII IN SHEEP IN DIYALA PROVINCE, IRAQ

Document Type : Research article

Authors

Unit. Zoonotic Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Baghdad

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is the common cause of toxoplasmosis in both humans and animals. Sheep 
toxoplasmosis represents an important role in public health, causing reproductive and 
economic losses due to abortion and neonatal mortality worldwide. The seroprevalence and 
molecular detection of sheep toxoplasmosis in Diyala province, Iraq, were the aim of this 
study. One hundred male slaughterhouses sheep and 100 grassing dairy ewes were examined
and divided into groups according to age, season, breed, importation, contact with cats, 
pregnancy status and abortion. Toxoplasma gondii infection was investigated using a 
Toxoplasma rapid test and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. The overall seroprevalence 
of toxoplasmosis in rams was 18%, while it was 14% in grassing dairy ewes. The PCR test 
confirmed the seropositive infection in 50% and 35.7% of rams and diary ewes, respectively. 
Adult dairy ewes and sheep from slaughterhouses had a statistically insignificantly greater 
seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis than juveniles. The prevalence of the disease was slightly 
higher in the winter groups in either rams or diary ewes. Sheep imported from Syria and Iran 
had twice as high an infection rate as native sheep from Iraq. The infection rate among dairy 
ewes from the Karadi and Hamdani breeds was not considerably greater than those of other 
breeds. Sheep with a history of abortion showed higher seroprevalence, and also 
toxoplasmosis was more prevalent in previously integrated sheep with cats. Therefore, 
continuous surveillance of sheep toxoplasmosis detection is highly recommended for further 
prevention.

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Assiut Veterinary Medical Journal
Volume 70, Issue 183
October 2024
Pages 544-554

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