Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii Isolated from Chicken Meats in Tunisia

Background: Toxoplasmosis is one of the most important food-borne diseases distributed worldwide. In order to determinate the involvement of poultry meat in clinical toxoplasmosis, this study aimed to genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in tissue samples of serologically positive chickens of Tunisia using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Methods: Trail of isolation of local T. gondii chicken strains through bioassay of the suspected infected chicken tissues in mice was carried out and the isolated strains were typed using PCR-RFLP targeting the marker AK69. Data analysis was performed by SPSS 16.0. Results: Out of 40 seropositive chickens, 15 were positive by AK69 gene PCR. RFLP analysis showed high prevalence of type II T. gondii in infected poultry meats in Tunisia. Conclusion: It seems that chicken meat of this region is not a risk factor of congenital toxoplasmosis. However, direct genotyping approach and deeper analysis should be investigated to have clearer idea about the epidemiology of the parasite and its transmission routs in Tunisia.