MOLECULAR STUDIES AND PHYLOGENETIC CHARACTERIZATION OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII IN CATS AND DETECTION OF INFECTION BY COPRO-PCR ASSAY

N. GAUTHAM¹, P.E. D SOUZA², S.S. BIRADAR³*
¹Assistant Professor (OPG), Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals (IAHVB), Hebbal, Bengaluru, 560024, Karnataka, India
²Former Dean, Professor and Head, Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Centre of Advanced Faculty Training, Veterinary College, Bengaluru, 560024, Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Bidar, 585401, Karnataka, India
³Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Centre of Advanced Faculty Training, Veterinary College, Bengaluru, 560024, Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Bidar, 585401, Karnataka, India
* Corresponding Author : shantuvet@gmail.com

Received : 05-09-2019     Accepted : 26-09-2019     Published : 30-09-2019
Volume : 11     Issue : 9       Pages : 650 - 652
Genetics 11.9 (2019):650-652

Keywords : Copro-PCR, Prevalence, Toxoplasma gondii, Cat, Phylogenetic analysis
Academic Editor : Dr Abhijit K Barate, Dr Amir Khodavirdi Pour, Vipul N Kapadia, Wan Shu Cheng
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Authors are thankful to Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi for providing facilities through the Centre of Advanced Faculty Training (CAFT). Authors are also thankful to Veterinary College, Bengaluru, 560024, Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Bidar, 585401, Karnataka, India
Author Contribution : All authors equally contributed

Considering the zoonotic importance and economic significance of Toxoplasma gondii and to note the status of T. gondii infection in cats from Bengaluru city region, Karnataka, India the present study was carried out by the application of coprologic–polymerase chain reaction (copro-PCR) assay. A total of 80 faecal samples were screened from cat shelters, Veterinary clinics, cat-owning households and stray animals. Oocysts were disrupted by freeze thawing coupled with mechanical means and DNA extraction was subsequently accomplished. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was standardized to detect T. gondii oocyst DNA in cat faecal samples. Out of 80 faecal samples examined, five (6.25%) were positive for Toxoplasma DNA by PCR. The test based on amplifying a 529 bp sequence repeated 200 to 300 times in the Toxoplasma genome proved highly sensitive by detecting T. gondii oocysts DNA in faecal samples. The phylogenetic results showed that T. gondii isolates obtained during the study were genetically similar to one another and also with the T. gondii Iran isolates.

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