[97], Differences in sex-dependent behavior observed in infected hosts compared to non-infected individuals can be attributed to differences in testosterone. There are several steps you can take to reduce your chances of becoming infected withToxoplasma gondii. [27]:343 However, specific tissue tropisms can vary between intermediate host species; in pigs, the majority of tissue cysts are found in muscle tissue, whereas in mice, the majority of cysts are found in the brain. They found that 85% of strains in North America were of one of three widespread genotypes II, III and Type 12. Serologic prevalence data indicate that toxoplasmosis is one of the most common human infections throughout the world. Ronald Lubelchek, MD, is a board-certified infectious disease specialist in Chicago, Illinois. Almost all species of birds that have been tested for Toxoplasma gondii have shown to be positive. [59] Even though "living in a household with a cat that used a litter box was strongly associated with infection,"[30] and that living with several kittens or any cat under one year of age has some significance,[49] several other studies claim to have shown that living in a household with a cat is not a significant risk factor for T. gondii infection. Neuroinflammation-Associated Aspecific Manipulation of Mouse Predator Fear by. [14][13][4] This asymptomatic state of infection is referred to as a latent infection, and it has been associated with numerous subtle behavioral, psychiatric, and personality alterations in humans. This is of concern because serology results can influence decisions on continuation or termination of pregnancies. It is typically diagnosed with imagining tests or an evaluation of brain tissue samples. A negative IgM result usually means that you've been infected in the past and are now immune to the parasite. Like tachyzoites, merozoites divide quickly, and are responsible for expanding the population of the parasite inside the cat's intestine before sexual reproduction. [4]:47, Theoretically, T. gondii can be passed between intermediate hosts indefinitely via a cycle of consumption of tissue cysts in meat. Eating food that was contaminated by knives, utensils, cutting boards and other foods that have had contact with raw, contaminated meat or shellfish. by consuming an infected mouse carrying the parasite's tissue cysts), the parasite survives passage through the stomach, eventually infecting epithelial cells of the cat's small intestine. Detection of parasite genetic material by PCR, especially in detecting congenital infections in utero. During different periods of its life cycle, individual parasites convert into various cellular stages, with each stage characterized by a distinct cellular morphology, biochemistry, and behavior.
toxoplasma gondii gram stain