Abstract

Background and objective: Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic opportunistic cyst-forming protozoan has usual clonal population of three virulent human and animal genotypes which differ according to their virulence in mice and epidemiological patterns. Animals are of zoonotic impact and regarded as high prevalent sources for human toxoplasmosis via their meat containing viable T. gondii tissue cysts. However, serological assays are not enough for approving virulent T. gondii tissue cysts or confirm virulent types harboring animals so the current study was aimed to evaluate the zoonotic hazard of T. gondii seropositive Egyptian animals and aborted women via mice viability test and genotyping as excellent bio-indicators for virulent strains. Methodology: Both blood and the matching tissue samples were collected from 76 aborted women and 755 farm animals (254 sheep, 293 goats, 45 cows, 41 buffalos, 34 camels and 88 free range poultry). All samples were assayed serologically by using ELISA. The tissue samples which were identical to seropositive sera were digested and microscopically examined besides exposed to DNA detection and genotyping. The microscopic confirmed bradyzoites containing ones were bio-assayed through intra-peritoneal passage in mice as viability test. Results: The total seropositive percentages and the suspected microscopic examined samples plus to DNA percentages detected and succeeded isolates via mice viability test were (6, 8, 4, 0, 0, 2 and 2) corresponding to (women, sheep, goat, cows, buffaloes, camels and free range poultry) respectively. Genotyping confirmed 22 isolates (2 type- I, 13 type- II and 7 type- III). Conclusion: The mice viability and DNA approve along with genotyping were signify T. gondii virulent types 1-3 viable cysts from Egyptian women, animals and poultry and reflect zoonotic bio-hazard of public health concern.