Genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii samples from Dakar

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is an anthropozoonosis of medical and veterinary importance, caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. Oocysts shed by felids play a key role in parasite transmission as they contaminate meat-producing animals, vegetables and water consumed later by humans. In this work, we aimed to identify T. gondii isolated in Dakar (Senegal). The modified multiplex PCR technique based on length polymorphism of 15 microsatellite markers was used on a total of 10 isolates. The study shows that stem called Africa 1 or Type I / III (90%) and Africa 2 or Type I / II / III (10%) circulate in Dakar. Toxoplasma isolates and DNA extraction for genotyping analysis was performed directly on clinical samples for 56 patients and indirectly on infected mouse tissue (brain or ascitic fluid) or infected cell cultures after inoculation of clinical samples for 32 patients. These first results need to be followed by more extensive investigations.   Key words: Genotype, toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma gondii.