Detection of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in environmental soil samples using molecular methods

• Published in: European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases Vol. 28; no. 6; pp. 599 - 605
• Main Authors: Lass, A, Pietkiewicz, H, Modzelewska, E, Dumètre, A, Szostakowska, B, Myjak, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Berlin/Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag 01.06.2009; Springer-Verlag; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; DNA, Protozoan - genetics; DNA, Protozoan - isolation & purification; Epidemiology; Genotype; Genotype & phenotype; Human protozoal diseases; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Internal Medicine; Medical Microbiology; Medical sciences; Methods; Oocysts; Parasites; Parasitic diseases; Poland; Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Protozoa; Protozoal diseases; Protozoan Proteins - genetics; Soil - parasitology; Toxoplasma - genetics; Toxoplasma - isolation & purification; Toxoplasma gondii; Toxoplasmosis; Poland; France; SAG2 Gene; Rubbish Dump; Congenital Toxoplasmosis; Toxoplasmosis; AmpliTaq Gold Polymerase; Infection; Protozoa; Apicomplexa; Protozoal disease; Toxoplasma gondii; Microbiology; Parasitosis; Method; Oocyst
• ISSN: 0934-9723; 1435-4373
• DOI: 10.1007/s10096-008-0681-5

Infections caused by Toxoplasma gondii are prevalent in humans and animals throughout the world. So far, there is no sufficient information concerning T. gondii oocysts prevalence in the environment, especially in soil. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate occurrence of T. gondii oocysts in soil and determine the genotype of detected parasites. A total of 101 soil samples were taken from different sites (sand-pits, “farming ground”, areas around rubbish dumps) located in the Tri-City (Poland). Oocysts were recovered using the flotation method. Then, PCR reactions targeting the B1 gene were performed for specific T. gondii detection. The positive samples were further confirmed by PCR amplification of a repetitive element (REP) sequence [GenBank accession number AF146527]. Toxoplasma DNA was found in 18 samples. Among them, seven samples were successfully genotyped at the SAG2 locus. They were classified as SAG2 type I (5 samples) and SAG2 type II (2 samples). This is one of the first investigations describing T. gondii oocyst detection in environmental soil samples with rapid molecular detection methods and genotyping. The results of our findings showed that soil contaminated with T. gondii oocysts may play a role in the epidemiology of human toxoplasmosis in Poland.