Development of PCR assay for diagnosing swine toxoplasmosis

The first internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) of nuclear ribosomal DNA was amplified from the genomic DNA of Toxoplasma gondii by PCR using the species-specific primers. The assay was highly sensitive and was able to detect 10 tachyzoites of T. gondii. On day 5 post-infection, the specific PCR products of T. gondii could be amplified from six of the eight examined tissues of pig after experimental infection, and the bronchopulmonary lymph node could be selected as tissue for the PCR assay.