Molecular Prevalence and Genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii in Sheep Tissues Intended for Human Consumption in Shanxi Province, North China

<i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> is one of the most widely distributed intracellular parasites worldwide, which can infect humans and a wide range of warm-blooded animals including sheep, with felines serving as its definitive host. <i>T. gondii</i> infection in sheep can lead to premature births, abortions and stillbirths, causing significant economic losses to the sheep industry. Sheep farming has become a key pillar of the agricultural economy in Shanxi Province, North China, but little is known about <i>T. gondii</i> infection in sheep in this province. In the present study, a total of 755 sheep tissue samples (682 muscle tissue samples and 73 lymphatic tissue samples) were collected from different markets in 10 different cities of Shanxi Province. The genomic DNA of all samples was extracted and the B1 gene of <i>T. gondii</i> was amplified by PCR. The B1 gene-positive samples were genotyped at 12 genetic markers employing the multilocus nested PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (Mn-PCR-RFLP). The molecular prevalence of <i>T. gondii</i> infection in sheep tissues in Shanxi Province was 20.5% (155/755). The <i>T. gondii</i> genotype ToxoDB#9 was identified in one positive <i>T. gondii</i> sample, with complete genotyping at all 12 genetic markers based on Mn-PCR-RFLP. This is the first report of molecular prevalence and genotype of <i>T. gondii</i> infection in sheep in Shanxi Province. These results reveal the widespread distribution of <i>T. gondii</i> in sheep in Shanxi, which is of significant public health importance.