Molecular Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in Ewes Placenta in Northeastern Algeria

The present study aimed at the direct detection of parasitic DNA in placenta samples of ewes by PCR targeting the B1 gene of Toxoplasma gondii. We identified also the possible risk factors associated with the infection. A total of 307 female sheep from 23 farms were collected between 2019 and 2020 in the Tebessa region in northeastern Algeria. Data showed that T. gondii DNA was detected in 114 of the 307 tested females (37.1%). The on-farm molecular prevalence was 82.6%. High rates were revealed in Bir Al Ater (32.4%) and Tlidjen (43.6%). The level of contamination was high in farms applying a sedentary mode (47.6%); this system tends to have a positive effect on the prevalence of toxoplasmosis (P<0.05; 95% CI: 0.409-0.544). Moreover, it appears that the relationship between the presence of cats on the farm and the prevalence of the disease was significant (P<0.05; 95% CI: 0.445-0.597). In the same context, primiparous females were 2.54 times more likely to be infected with T. gondii than multiparous animals (P=0.001). To conclude, the prevalence noticed in the present study indicates a generalized exposure of sheep to T. gondii in the northeast of Algeria, which represents a major risk for animal and public health. Therefore, management measures should be implemented and improved in the farms of this region for better disease control and eradication.