# Molecular Prevalence and Genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii in Sheep Tissues Intended for Human Consumption in Shanxi Province, North China

## TL;DR

This study found that 20.5% of sheep in Shanxi Province are infected with Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that can harm both human and animal health.

## Contribution

The first identification of ToxoDB#9 genotype of T. gondii in sheep in Shanxi Province.

## Key findings

- T. gondii DNA was detected in 20.5% of 755 sheep tissue samples from Shanxi Province.
- One T. gondii strain was fully genotyped as ToxoDB#9, the first of its kind identified in sheep in the region.

## Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii, a widespread protozoan parasite responsible for significant health issues in humans and animals, poses economic risks to the global sheep industry. In Shanxi Province, North China, where sheep farming plays a vital role in local agriculture, little was known about the prevalence of T. gondii infection in the region’s sheep population. This study aimed to fill this knowledge gap by examining 755 sheep tissue samples (muscle and lymphatic tissues) collected from markets across 10 cities in Shanxi Province. T. gondii DNA was detected in 20.5% (155/755) of sheep samples using PCR. In addition, one strain was fully genotyped as ToxoDB#9 by Mn-PCR-RFLP, representing the first identification of this genotype in sheep in Shanxi Province. These findings highlight a notable prevalence of T. gondii in the region and provide critical insights into its genetic diversity, offering essential data for the development of targeted control strategies to mitigate infections in sheep, thereby safeguarding both human and animal health, and economic productivity in Shanxi’s agricultural sector.

Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most widely distributed intracellular parasites worldwide, which can infect humans and a wide range of warm-blooded animals including sheep, with felines serving as its definitive host. T. gondii infection in sheep can lead to premature births, abortions and stillbirths, causing significant economic losses to the sheep industry. Sheep farming has become a key pillar of the agricultural economy in Shanxi Province, North China, but little is known about T. gondii infection in sheep in this province. In the present study, a total of 755 sheep tissue samples (682 muscle tissue samples and 73 lymphatic tissue samples) were collected from different markets in 10 different cities of Shanxi Province. The genomic DNA of all samples was extracted and the B1 gene of T. gondii was amplified by PCR. The B1 gene-positive samples were genotyped at 12 genetic markers employing the multilocus nested PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (Mn-PCR-RFLP). The molecular prevalence of T. gondii infection in sheep tissues in Shanxi Province was 20.5% (155/755). The T. gondii genotype ToxoDB#9 was identified in one positive T. gondii sample, with complete genotyping at all 12 genetic markers based on Mn-PCR-RFLP. This is the first report of molecular prevalence and genotype of T. gondii infection in sheep in Shanxi Province. These results reveal the widespread distribution of T. gondii in sheep in Shanxi, which is of significant public health importance.