Toxoplasmosis in Sheep Caused by <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Clonal Type I

Ovine toxoplasmosis has a significant negative impact on sheep farming, and abortion is the main clinical manifestation. The objective of the present study was to survey ovine toxoplasmosis and assess its potential harm <i>T. gondii</i> in sheep. Sheep serum or heart fluid was collected...

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Main Authors: Yurong Yang, Yiheng Ma, Kai Quan, Bingyan Guo, Yibao Jiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Animals
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/8/1074
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author Yurong Yang
Yiheng Ma
Kai Quan
Bingyan Guo
Yibao Jiang
author_facet Yurong Yang
Yiheng Ma
Kai Quan
Bingyan Guo
Yibao Jiang
author_sort Yurong Yang
collection DOAJ
description Ovine toxoplasmosis has a significant negative impact on sheep farming, and abortion is the main clinical manifestation. The objective of the present study was to survey ovine toxoplasmosis and assess its potential harm <i>T. gondii</i> in sheep. Sheep serum or heart fluid was collected from 1035 sheep, along with the tissue or blood samples collected from 164 of them. We investigated ovine toxoplasmosis by a modified agglutination test (MAT) (<i>n</i> = 1035 sheep) and by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (<i>n</i> = 164 sheep) in China. The results showed that 75 sheep were seropositive (titer ≥ 1:100), with a prevalence of 7.2%, as assessed by MAT. The molecular prevalence of <i>T. gondii</i> in sheep was 16.4% (27/164), as assessed by PCR. From these 164 tissue or blood samples, 22 tissues and 2 blood samples were selected in order to isolate <i>T. gondii</i> by mouse bioassay. A viable <i>T. gondii</i> strain (TgSheepCHn15, ToxoDB #10) was isolated from sheep tissues in the veterinary clinic. This strain was avirulent for Swiss mice, and the survival time of mice was 97 ± 31 days. This is the first instance of the isolation of a Type I strain from sheep with avirulence in mice. The prevalence of <i>T. gondii</i> has been decreasing in sheep from China. However, <i>T. gondii</i> remains present in sheep herds and should not be ignored.
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spelling doaj-art-b10dc0c8c1e54576b463b9458b3b08452025-08-20T02:17:19ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-04-01158107410.3390/ani15081074Toxoplasmosis in Sheep Caused by <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Clonal Type IYurong Yang0Yiheng Ma1Kai Quan2Bingyan Guo3Yibao Jiang4College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, ChinaCollege of Animal Science, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou 450000, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, ChinaCollege of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450000, ChinaOvine toxoplasmosis has a significant negative impact on sheep farming, and abortion is the main clinical manifestation. The objective of the present study was to survey ovine toxoplasmosis and assess its potential harm <i>T. gondii</i> in sheep. Sheep serum or heart fluid was collected from 1035 sheep, along with the tissue or blood samples collected from 164 of them. We investigated ovine toxoplasmosis by a modified agglutination test (MAT) (<i>n</i> = 1035 sheep) and by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (<i>n</i> = 164 sheep) in China. The results showed that 75 sheep were seropositive (titer ≥ 1:100), with a prevalence of 7.2%, as assessed by MAT. The molecular prevalence of <i>T. gondii</i> in sheep was 16.4% (27/164), as assessed by PCR. From these 164 tissue or blood samples, 22 tissues and 2 blood samples were selected in order to isolate <i>T. gondii</i> by mouse bioassay. A viable <i>T. gondii</i> strain (TgSheepCHn15, ToxoDB #10) was isolated from sheep tissues in the veterinary clinic. This strain was avirulent for Swiss mice, and the survival time of mice was 97 ± 31 days. This is the first instance of the isolation of a Type I strain from sheep with avirulence in mice. The prevalence of <i>T. gondii</i> has been decreasing in sheep from China. However, <i>T. gondii</i> remains present in sheep herds and should not be ignored.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/8/1074ovine abortiongenotypic diversityepidemiologyToxoDB # 10isolation
spellingShingle Yurong Yang
Yiheng Ma
Kai Quan
Bingyan Guo
Yibao Jiang
Toxoplasmosis in Sheep Caused by <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Clonal Type I
Animals
ovine abortion
genotypic diversity
epidemiology
ToxoDB # 10
isolation
title Toxoplasmosis in Sheep Caused by <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Clonal Type I
title_full Toxoplasmosis in Sheep Caused by <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Clonal Type I
title_fullStr Toxoplasmosis in Sheep Caused by <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Clonal Type I
title_full_unstemmed Toxoplasmosis in Sheep Caused by <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Clonal Type I
title_short Toxoplasmosis in Sheep Caused by <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> Clonal Type I
title_sort toxoplasmosis in sheep caused by i toxoplasma gondii i clonal type i
topic ovine abortion
genotypic diversity
epidemiology
ToxoDB # 10
isolation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/8/1074
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AT kaiquan toxoplasmosisinsheepcausedbyitoxoplasmagondiiiclonaltypei
AT bingyanguo toxoplasmosisinsheepcausedbyitoxoplasmagondiiiclonaltypei
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