Isolation of Toxoplasma gondii in a pig from a local abattoir in Zimbabwe

Inoculation of pepsin digested muscle (mixed heart and diaphragm) from a slaughter pig into six Balb C mice resulted in the isolation of Toxoplasma gondii which proved to be pathogenic to mice. These infected mice were retarded in growth when compared to the two uninoculated control animals. Mouse No.3 and Mouse No.6 died on days 14 and 16-post inoculation, respectively. Parasites were observed in lung smears of both mice. However, no parasites were observed in the brain tissue. Serology at day 15 post-infection revealed anti- T. gondii antibody titres of 1/500 in the modified agglutination test (MAT) in 4/5 of the surviving inoculated mice. All the surviving mice were sacrificed 13 weeks post-infection and multiple T. gondii tissue cysts were seen in the cerebrum of the mice that had been inoculated with the muscle digest but not in the control group. Zimbabwe Vet. J. Vol.33(2) 2002: 79-83