| Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease that infects humans and animals caused by Toxoplasma gondii, spreading world-wide. Economically, livestock industry is heavily affected by this problem, as well as endangering human health. Humans are infected with Toxoplasma gondii, mainly because of the ingestion of raw or un-fully cooked food. In addition, contact with the environment contaminated by T. gondii oocysts may also cause the infection. Thus, investigations regarding the detection of T. gondii oocysts in livestock and their products as well as contaminated surroundings have important public health significance. In this study, the T. gondii infection survey is mainly from the following three aspects:During the period from April2012to April2013, the four seasons, the backyard flocks in Jiangsu Funing aera were sampled. A total of362serum samples were collected, testing circulating antigen and circulating antibodies in the serum using ELISA method, as long as there are positive indicators, the sample is considered positive. Out of the362samples,66(18.23%) have been detected as positive. Analysis of the impact of the different seasons of T. gondii prevalence was as follows;17.82%in spring;7.5%in the summer;38.89%in autumn, while7.69%was the rate of prevalence in winter Toxoplasma positive rate was. Thus, the season have a greater impact on T. gondii rate of prevalence.A sample survey conducted through the establishment of the detection method of T. gondii in the muscle tissue of seven provinces and municipalities in China’s supermarkets and farmers markets in the sale of chicken and lamb. Using T. gondii ITS-1sequence for species-specific genetic markers, the PCR detection method of T. gondii in the muscle tissue was established:This method can detect50T. gondii in100g of muscle, the muscle tissue sample T. gondii cysts, a cyst containing dozens to thousands of slow tachyzoites. Therefore, this method has high sensitivity for the detection of T. gondii in muscle tissue samples. Using this method,1002chickens from poultry markets from the following locations were collected:Jilin, Liaoning, Henan, Anhui, Shanghai and Zhejiang province in China. Detection of T. gondii in sheep meat took place at the laboratory and the findings showed that all samples were negative for T. gondii infection.13submission to the laboratory for testing and59samples collected from Shandong, Anhui, and Jilin were also found to be negative for T. gondii infection. Based on these findings, the situation reflects measurements regarding sales of chicken and lamb meat is highly secured for human consumption. A methodology for the detection of T. gondii contamination in the soil was also established within this survey. Using limited dilution method, dilutions of T. gondii samples were added to blank soil. Following the instructions of the manufacturer, Omega soil genome extraction kit has been used to extract the DNA which was then used as a template in PCR to detect the sensitivity of this method. For this survey samples were collected from locations where stray cats used to gather in public places in Nanjing Agricultural University campus, and using this method to detect the presence of T. gondii in soil environment. The results showed that:this method can detect50out of0.5g of soil tachyzoites, and the method is easy to operate and only short time required, beside it is applicable for large number of samples.55soil samples were taken randomly, the positive rate was1.8%, indicating that the Nanjing Agricultural University campus soil is contaminated by T. gondii oocysts, but the contamination situation is not serious. Appropriate measures to remediation of contaminated soil environment can be taken in the future to control the spreads of the problem. |
