Detection and genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii isolated from soil in Ahvaz, southwest of Iran

To detection and genotype of Toxoplasma
gondii isolated from soil in Ahvaz, southwest of Iran.
Between August 2011 and May 2012 at different sites
located in the area of the Ahvaz city south west Iran. A
total of 200 soil samples were taken from different points
of the region. Oocysts were recovered using the flotation
method. Then, PCR reactions targeting the GRA6 gene
were performed for specific T. gondii detection. The positive
samples were studied by RFLP (random amplified
fragment length polymorphism) using MseI enzymes to
confirm the parasite linage. Toxoplasma DNA was found in
18 samples. Among them, 12 samples were successfully
genotyped as GRA6 type III and 6 as GRA6 Type II. This
is the first investigation detecting and genotyping T. gondii
oocyst in environmental soil samples of Ahvaz, South west
of Iran. The results of this study indicated that soil contaminated
with T. gondii oocysts especially in public park
may play a role in the epidemiology of human toxoplasmosis
in southwest of Iran.