Comparison of the internal transcribed spacer, ITS 1, from Toxoplasma gondii isolates and Neospora caninum

The internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) region and the 5′ part of the 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene of the ribosomal DNA repeat from 20 Toxoplasma gondii isolates was sequenced and found to be identical in all isolates, independent of host origin or virulence to mice. The ITS1 region from the closely related coccidian parasite Neospora caninum differed in 22% of its nucleotides. Hence, the ITS1 region provides a good marker for the distinction of T. gondii and N. caninum but is not useful for epidemiology studies of T. gondii.