Toxoplasma gondii in meat of adult sheep in Spain

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular parasite that presents a worldwide risk. Humans can become infected by ingesting meat infected with T. gondii, and the consumption of infected sheep and goat meat is a significant public health issue. Antibodies against T. gondii have been found in sheep in Spain, indicating the presence of the parasite in the country. However, no previous studies have assessed the presence of T. gondii in sheep meat in Spain. In view of the significance of the transmission of T. gondii through meat consumption and given the lack of previous studies in Spain, we carried out an investigation to evaluate the presence of T. gondii in adult sheep meat (mutton). A total of 216 muscle samples were analyzed by digestion, and a real-time PCR assay was used to determine the presence of T. gondii DNA. A total of 24.5% of the samples were found to be parasitized, indicating that the consumption of sheep meat can present an important risk for human health.