BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoon with worldwide distribution that infects human and a wide spectrum of warm- blooded animals. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to survey the prevalence of T.gondii antibody in slaughtered livestock in slaughterhouse with modified agglutination test in Sanandaj in 2015. Methods: Totally 343 serum samples were collected from 130 cows, 111 sheep and 102 goats from May to July 2015 in Sanandaj slaughterhouse. Sera were examined with modified agglutination test (MAT) for T.gondii antibody and 1.40 titer antibody and above was considered as positive. Results: Antibodies of T.gondii were found in sera of 51 out of 343 (15.45%) samples. From 51 seropositive sera, 13 cows (23.84), 13 goats (12.74%) and 9 sheep (8.1%) were infected. The differences among species were statistically significant (P≥.002). Conclusions: Results indicate that T. gondii in sheep, goats and especially cows is prevalent, so consumption of undercooked meats should be avoided, also the prevention methods of infection should be taught to the people and due to the possibility of limitations in the results of serological tests, repetition of the study using molecular techniques is recommended

BACKGROUND: Dicrocoeliasis is one of the commonest parasitic diseases of the bile ducts and gallbladder in a wide range of mammals including ruminants and sometimes human being. The disease is really important in medicine, economy, and veterinary medicine. Annually, slaughter house loses a huge amount because of losing a great deal of valuable proteins in people daily diets. In order to bring the disease under control, morphological and molecular analysis of parasite in endemic districts is essential. OBJECTIVES: The present study was conducted to determine the morphological as well as molecular characterization of cattle, sheep and goats isolated from Dicrocoelium by applying ND1 genetic marker in the Markazi province, Iran. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study 480 fresh adult worms were collected from livers of 120 cattle, sheep and goats slaughtered in abattoirs in Markazi province. To diagnose the species of parasite, morphometric indices of mature worms were calculated based on standard parameters. Then DNA of 60 isolates with different morphometric characteristics was extracted and PCR reaction was performed for a part of ND1 (mtDNA). PCR was purified and its sequence was defined, the percentage of genetic similarity was compared to cases registered by GenBank and the exact species of parasite was recognized. RESULTS: The morphometric analysis in all isolates was as follows: testicles were sequential, the length and the width of the worm for all cattle, sheep and goat isolates were 7994±967µm, 6844±100µm, 6570±110µm (P<0.0001) and 1649±339µm, 1490±221µm and 1430±252µm (P<0.0001) respectively. The proportion of the length to the width was 4.87±0.641, 4.58±0.625, and 4.64±0.622 respectively. All the results mentioned above confirmed Dicrocoelium dendriticum in the hosts of the district under investigation. The analysis of the gel electrophoresis in all isolates showed the existence of band 200pb.The percentage of genetic similarity to the registered items, cases were determined by the Gen bank between 97 and 99 percent. CONCLUSIONS: Molecular identification and morphometric assays clearly showed that D. dendriticum is the only agent of Dicrocoeliasis among cattle, sheep and goats in the Marakazi province, Iran. Molecular diagnosis of parasite by applying genetic marker of the nucleus is recommended.