Molecular Detection and Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii using SAG1 & 18SrRNA Genes in Rodents of Golestan Province, Northeast of IRAN

Background : Toxoplasma parasite is from Toxoplasmatidea family that initially was seen in Ctinodactylus Gondii rodent. Toxoplasma parasites that extracted from different rodents are same in immunologic and morphologic characteristics but have differences in pathogenicity and genotypes in mice. The rodents are most reservoir host in environment that by attention of human environment vicinity to rodent's environment causes Toxoplasma dispersio n in that area. The aim of this study was abundance detection of toxoplasmosis in rodents of golestan province using SAG1 and 18SrRNA genes. Materials and methods : In this study we collected 285 rodents from Golestan forest and extracted brain and heart t issues to obtain DNA of SAG1 and 18SrRNA genes from these tissues. We divided these rodents to 4 groups and then detected the positive samples by PCR method. Results : In this study we found 68 samples of these rodents were positive for SAG1 and 18SrRNA ge nes. 38 samples were Ratus ratus, 10 samples were Ratus norvegicus, 10samples were Mus musculus and 10 samples were Rombumys opimus. Conclusion and Discussion : in this study we found that the different types of rodents were responsible to spread of toxopl asmosis, also SAG1 and 18SrRNA genes were very useful markers to detect toxoplasmosis in rodents of northeast area of IRAN.