Molecular Epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii Genotypes Circulating in Domestic Animals and Humans in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria

Understanding the genotypic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii circulating in domestic animal reservoirs and human populations is critical for deciphering transmission pathways and assessing the zoonotic risk associated with specific genotypes in Nigeria. This study investigates the molecular epidemiology of T. gondii genotypes in domestic animals and humans in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. An analytical cross-sectional design was employed, collecting tissue samples from 150 goats, 100 pigs, and 50 cats slaughtered or obtained from veterinary facilities in Jos North, Barkin Ladi, and Shendam Local Government Areas. Concurrently, blood samples from 200 confirmed toxoplasmosis patients from Jos University Teaching Hospital were included. DNA was extracted from tissue homogenates and whole blood using commercial kits, and nested PCR targeting the B1 gene was used for molecular detection. Genotyping was performed using PCR-RFLP at multiple genetic markers to classify isolates into established genotypic lineages. Evidence from 2020 to 2024 confirms the co-circulation of Type II, Type III, and atypical T. gondii genotypes in West African animal and human isolates, with atypical strains increasingly associated with severe human toxoplasmosis. This study produces the first comprehensive T. gondii genotypic map for Plateau State, filling a critical zoonotic epidemiology knowledge gap. Findings will be submitted to the Plateau State Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries and a high-impact parasitology journal. Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii, molecular genotyping, zoonotic epidemiology, Plateau State, PCR-RFLP.