*Present address: Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Science, Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, 500030, Andhra Pradesh, India, E-mail: udaiku@yahoo.co.in
Foot note: The Research paper is a part of Ph. D. thesis submitted to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, 243 122, Uttar Pradesh, India, by the first author.
Several PCR assays using different primer sets have been suggested for the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in animals and man. High repeatability of selected gene is desired for better visualization of amplified product. A 200–300 fold repetitive 529 bp PCR assay was tested for its efficacy in amplifying the DNA of theoretically lowest number of tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii, RH strain. The PCR assay was found sensitive in detecting as low as 9.75 pg of DNA equivalent to 78 tachyzoites of T. gondii, RH strain. Hence, the assay may be tried on clinical samples.
Analytical sensitivity, Toxoplasma gondii, 529 bp gene, PCR
