-

Objectives: To determine the time of appearance and persistance of Toxoplasma gondii in the blood of experimentally infected rat and evaluation of the possibility of early diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in rat blood samples by PCR.
Design: Experimental study.
Animals: Five healthy rats and ten Toxoplasma gondii infected rats.
Procedure: Ten rats were infected experimentaly with Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites (RR strain) intraperitonealy.As control, 5 toxoplasma free healthy rats were used. Blood was taken from the infected as well as uninfected rats 24 hour intervals for 30 days. Following DNA extraction from blood samples, amplification of DNA of the parasite was done by PCR method, using high sensitive and specific designed primers SDKF and SDKR.
Results: Toxoplasma gondii DNA was identified in the blood of rats, 48 hours post infection. The DNA was persist in the blood for 16 days then become undetectable.
Implications: SDKF and SDKR are sensitive and specific primers which can be used for detection of early infection of Toxoplasma
gondii (RR strain) in rat. J. Fac. Vet. Med. Univ. Tehran. 58, 4:323-327, 2003.