Yang Zou,Hong-Li Geng,Hong-Lin Jia,Quan Zhao,Si-Yuan Qin,Xing-Quan Zhu,Xiao-Xuan Zhang

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis.2022 Mar 3.doi: 10.1089/vbz.2021.0087. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii  is a worldwide distributed zoonotic pathogen that threatens public health. However, there have been limited data for  T. gondii  infection in wild rats ( Rattus norvegicus ) in China. In the present study, a total of 227 wild rats were captured from three mink farms to investigate  T. gondii  infection in Shandong Province, eastern China. The DNA was extracted from 25 mg rats' brain tissues and subjected to a PCR amplification by targeting to the  T. gondii  B1. In 227 wild rat samples, 18 samples (7.93%) were positive for  T. gondii . Then, the positive samples were further genotyped based on eight genetic markers, including eight nuclear loci (SAG1, 5'-SAG2, and 3'-SAG2, alternative SAG2, SAG3, GRA6, c29-2, and L358) and an apicoplast locus (Apico) by using the multilocus PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism technology. Of these samples, eight were genotyped at nine nuclear loci, and two were genotyped at eight nuclear loci, forming three known genotypes (ToxoDB no. 43, ToxoDB no. 91, and ToxoDB no. 189) and two new genotypes. The closest ToxoDB genotypes were observed in wild rats, suggesting the differences in the population structure of the  T. gondii  between breed farm animals and wild rats. These data revealed the genetic variability of  T. gondii  in wild rats on mink farms in Shandong Province, with possible implication for public health.

Keywords: China; RFLP; Shandong Province; Toxoplasma gondii; closest ToxoDB genotypes; wild rats.