Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in Aborted Women and Meat of Slaughtered Sheep and Cattle in Sohag City, Upper Egypt

This work aimed to detect Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) and factors associated with infection in aborted women and meat of some slaughtered ruminants in Sohag city as a source of human infection. Ninety blood samples and 90 placenta tissue were collected from aborted women admitted to governmental hospitals in Sohag city. Animals’ samples included 96 meat samples (48 sheep and 48 cattle) slaughtered in Sohag city abattoir. ELISA and n PCR (Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction) were used to detect T. gondii infection in aborted women samples. Data was collected from aborted women through a standard form. While Latex agglutination test and microscopical examination were used in meat samples examination. Also, mice inoculation was used to evaluate the effect of meat freezing on the viability of T. gondii. Results indicated that 35.6% of aborted women serum represented positive results with ELISA and the majority possesses IgG (30%), 3.33% had IgM and 2.22% had both IgM and IgG. n PCR was used for detection of T. gondii in blood and placenta tissue of seropositve cases; T. gondii was detected in four and 25 of blood and placenta tissue of aborted women, respectively. Owing to factors associated with infection; aborted women from rural communities, those eating undercooked meat and who ignore periodical hand washing more susceptible to infection (P <0.01). 45.8% and 31.3% of sheep and cattle meat (mutton and beef ) were positive for T. gondii, respectively. Viability of T. gondii was lost after meat freezing at – 20ºC for ten days. Strict implementation of supervision plan to eliminated infection in animals, food and human is important for preventing the risk of zoonotic transmission and human infection with T. gondii.