First genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii infection in donkey meat slaughtered for human consumption in Shandong province, eastern China

Until now, limited information on the molecular epidemiology and genotypes of Toxoplasma gondii infection in donkeys is available in China. Thus, the present study was conducted to characterize T. gondii genotypes in donkeys, intended for human consumption in Shandong province, eastern China. A total of 618 muscle tissue samples of donkeys was collected in Shandong province from January 2016 to August 2017 and were used to detect the T. gondii B1 gene by a semi-nested PCR, and the positive samples were genotyped at 10 nuclear loci (i.e., SAG1, alternative SAG2, 5′-and 3′-SAG2, SAG3, L358, BTUB, c22-8, GRA6, c29-2, PK1) and an apicoplast locus Apico by multi-locus PCR-RFLP method. Fifty-seven (9.22%) samples out of 618 donkey meat samples were examined T. gondii B1 gene positive. In this study, no risk factor was found to be associated with T. gondii infection in donkeys. Moreover, two genotypes (ToxoDB#9 and ToxoDB#1) were identified. This is the first genetic characterization of T. gondii isolated from donkey meat that would intend for human consumption in Shandong province, eastern China and also the first report of genotype ToxoDB#1 found in donkeys in China, which may be useful for preventing and controlling T. gondii infection in donkeys, other animals and humans.