SUMMARY
High incidence of ocular toxoplasmosis has been identified in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in the region of Erechim.
The population in this area, mainly of ltalian extraction, have the habit of eating raw meat in form of pork sausages.
We tried to isolate Toxoplasma gondii from beef, pork and sausages by means of intraperitoneal inoculation in mice.
In 108 samples 5 were positive (4,6%). In 50 samples of fresh pork 4 were positive (8%). In 40 samples of sausages one was positive and in 18 samples of beef none was positive.
Pork showed higher incidence of infeccion than sausages or beef.
The strains of Toxoplasma gondii isolated from pork were named: S 11, S 102, S 104 and S 116 and the one of sausage S 44.