Molecular prevalence and genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii in free ranging Asil hen (Gallus gallus domesticus).

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is among the most frequently investigated and reported protozoan parasite as it infects all the warm blooded animals across the globe. Free ranging Asil hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) are common component of back yad poultry in Pakistan and in this investigation we have screened their 123 blood samples for the presence of T. gondii using PCR. Blood samples along with epidemiological data were collected from five districts in Punjab. Results revealed that ITS- 1 gene of T. gondii were detected in 2/123 (1.6%) of the screened Asil hens and subsequent bidirectional Sanger sequencing followed by the BLAST analysis confirmed the presence of parasite. Partial ITS- 1 gene sequence based phylogenetic analysis orevealed that Pakistani T. gondii isolates were genetically similar and they resembled the isolates reported from birds, mammals and humans from Tunisia, Brazil, Iraq, Poland, China and Mongolia. Toxoplasma gondii infection was not associated with a particular bird sex, age, the body weight or the sample collection site (for all P > 0.05). In conclusion, Although Pakistani free ranging Asil hen had low T. gondii infection but it is recommended that use of poorly cooked meat should be avoided to restrict the zoonotic transmission of this parasite as Asil hen is the meat of choice for majority of Pakistani population.