Veterinary Research Forum
Vet Res Forum

Experimental infection of Mongolian gerbils with Toxoplasma gondii: Pathological and immunohistochemical evaluations

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Sila Kahyaoglu 1
Hasan Tarik Atmaca 2

1 Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Balcova, Izmir, Turkiye

2 Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Balikesir University, Balikesir, Turkiye

https://doi.org/10.30466/vrf.2020.126993.2937
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoon parasite which causes toxoplasmosis both in human and warm-blooded animals. Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide disease and largely threats human and animal health consequently causing economic losses. Also, it affects the visceral organs in different severity degrees according to the strain of parasite and the host. In this study, experimental toxoplasmosis was performed via intra-peritoneal route in 12 gerbils by administrating 5.00 × 103 tachyzoites of T. gondii RH strain. The gerbils were sacrificed 7 days after inoculation. All systemic organs were obtained via necropsy and examined by immunohistochemical and histopathological methods. Lesions infected with T. gondii mostly observed in the serosa of abdominal cavity organs including stomach, liver, spleen, intestines, and kidneys. The lesions were most severe in liver. The parasite showed an affinity for the hepatic tissue. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental study of acute T. gondii infection in gerbil evaluating macroscopic, microscopic and immunohistochemical findings. It is concluded that Mongolian gerbils can be used as experimental animals to investigate toxoplasmosis. Also, these animals are very suitable hosts to study liver pathology and pathobiology of T. gondii-related hepatitis.

Keywords

Immunohistochemistry
Mongolian gerbil
Pathology
Toxoplasma gondii
Toxoplasmosis

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Veterinary Research Forum
Volume 13, Issue 3
Summer 2022
Pages 293-299

  • Receive Date 03 May 2020
  • Revise Date 13 July 2020
  • Accept Date 07 September 2020

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