A survey of chickens for viable toxoplasms in Croatia.
Brain tissues of 716 slaughtered domestic chickens (524 broilers and 192 hens) were bioassayed for viable toxoplasms. Each tissue was homogenized and subcutaneously injected into 4 SPF mice. Six weeks later the mice were euthanatized and their brains microscopically examined for Toxoplasma gondii tissue cysts. Three (0.4%) out of a total of 716 birds were positive. All positive cases were hens. This is the first isolation of T. gondii from chickens in Croatia.