Isolation of Toxoplasma from Goats

Abstract

Twenty apparently healthy goats were examined for the isolation of Sarcocystis and other coccidia of dogs and cats. Saline suspensions were made from goat muscle for the examination of bradyzoites. Bradyzoite-like organisms were found in 5 goats. Goat muscle were fed to17 cats and 5 dogs. Toxoplasma-like oocysts were shed in the feces of 8 cats (isolates G-1 to G-8). No sporocysts were shed from any cat or dog within 50 days after feeding.
Mice were inoculated orally with oocysts of the 8 isolates. Isolates G-1 and G-6 were highlypathogenic for mice. The other 6 isolates showed mild pathogenicity for mice. All the isolates, except G-8, showed infectivity to mice and sero-positive for Toxoplasmagondii to be identified as T. gondii. One mouse died from among those fed 10⁵ oocysts of isolate G-8. No cysts were found in the brain of any mouse fed 10⁴ oocysts and surviving. No antibody against Toxoplasma was observed in the serum of any surviving mouse.
Two kids fed 10⁶ oocysts of isolate G-5 showed fever, diarrhea and cough, suffering from parasitemia. One of then died 11 days and the other was killed 59 days after inoculation. Toxoplasma was isolated from all the organs examined in both kids.