Armand Belal, Solhjoo Kavous, Shabani-Kordshooli Manoochehr, Davami Mohammad Hasan, Sadeghi Mehdi
Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran.
Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran; Department of Parasitic Disease, Zoonoses Research Center, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran.
Vet World. 2016 Aug;9(8):850-5. doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2016.850-855. Epub 2016 Aug 13.
Toxoplasma gondii has a clinical and veterinary importance as it is known to cause congenital disease and abortion both in humans and livestock. Since the contaminated lamb is one of the sources of human infection, this study was performed to determine the prevalence of T. gondii in sheep in south of Iran.
Sera and tissue samples (diaphragm and heart) were collected from 370 sheep from slaughterhouse of Jahrom. The samples were taken from both sexes and from 6 to 60 months age. Specific immunoglobulin G antibodies to T. gondii were examined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and B1 gene nested-polymerase chain reaction detection was done to survey the tissue samples.
The total prevalence of Toxoplasma infection among sheep was found to be 35.94% and 34.32% based on serological and molecular method, respectively. According to serologic and molecular findings, the females were more positive than males for Toxoplasma; maximum frequency of positive samples was observed in 24-36 months and the positive samples had been collected more in spring than in summer, but no statistical correlation was observed between prevalence rate and the age and sex of animals or season of sampling.
T. gondii is widely distributed in sheep in Jahrom with a rate comparable with other parts of Iran and the world. It suggested a widespread exposure of sheep in this region to T. gondii. Thus, consumption of undercooked or raw meat presents the transmission risk of the parasite and this might be considered as an important public health problem, mainly for high-risk groups such as the pregnant and the immunodeficient.
刚地弓形虫具有临床和兽医重要性，因为已知它会导致人类和家畜的先天性疾病及流产。由于受污染的羊肉是人类感染源之一，本研究旨在确定伊朗南部绵羊中弓形虫的流行情况。
从贾赫罗姆屠宰场的370只绵羊采集血清和组织样本（膈肌和心脏）。样本取自不同性别、年龄在6至60个月的绵羊。采用酶联免疫吸附测定法检测针对弓形虫的特异性免疫球蛋白G抗体，并对组织样本进行B1基因巢式聚合酶链反应检测。
基于血清学和分子方法，绵羊中弓形虫感染的总流行率分别为35.94%和34.32%。根据血清学和分子学结果，雌性绵羊的弓形虫阳性率高于雄性；阳性样本的最高频率出现在24至36个月龄，春季采集的阳性样本多于夏季，但流行率与动物的年龄、性别或采样季节之间未观察到统计学相关性。
弓形虫在贾赫罗姆的绵羊中广泛分布，其感染率与伊朗其他地区及世界其他地区相当。这表明该地区的绵羊广泛接触到弓形虫。因此，食用未煮熟或生的肉类存在寄生虫传播风险，这可能被视为一个重要的公共卫生问题，主要针对孕妇和免疫功能低下等高危人群。
