Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that can cause disease in many animal species as well as in humans. Isolation and genotyping of T. gondii provide useful information on distribution of different genotypes in a particular area, as well as the potential virulence and infection sources. No information is available on the parasite genotypes infecting animals or humans in Ukraine.

According to our previous studies, the seroprevalence of T. gondii in Ukraine among sheep was 26.1% (57/218). At the next stage of our research, DNA of T. gondii was detected in the heart apex muscles using real time PCR in four sheep slaughtered for human consumption in Ukraine out of 21 (randomly selected) investigated (19.0%). DNA of the parasite was genotyped using nested PCR-sequencing and in silico RFLP analysis of 10 genetic markers and microsatellite (MS) typing by sequence length polymorphism of 15 MS. The partial typing of two samples revealed that the parasites are type II-like, which is one of the most common in Europe.

Out of 43 serum samples from free-range chickens, 6 were seropositive (14.0%). When examining the brain tissue and neck muscles of these chickens, T. gondii DNA was detected by real time PCR in only one brain sample, which is planned to be genotyped in the near future.

This is the first time T. gondii DNA isolates from Ukraine were genotyped. Further studies will be conducted to increase the number of genotyped isolates, also from further host animal species. Such data is necessary to increase our knowledge on the population structure of T. gondii.