A batch of 259 Ixodes ricinus ticks collected by fl agging in woodlands of
north-western Poland (Szczecin area) was examined for the presence of Toxoplasma gondii
DNA with nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Positive isolates were genotyped
with the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of B1 gene marker.
Another batch of 340 I. ricinus ticks from Szczecin area was homogenized and inoculated
into mice. Subsequently, the biological material obtained from inoculated mice was also
examined with nested PCR for the presence of Toxoplasma gondii DNA and positive
isolates were genotyped with RFLP as above. The study revealed that 12.7% of I. ricinus
ticks were infected with T. gondii. Prevalence of T. gondii infection was highest in
females (27.9%), being signifi cantly greater (p<0.05) than in males (12.3%) and nymphs
(5.6%). Most of the positive isolates (78.8%) belonged to type I of T. gondii. Samples
from brains and other organs of 60 inoculated mice showed 44 positive results for T. gondii
DNA with the dominance of atypical genotype and frequent mixed infections.