Toxoplasmosis

A parasitic infection, with symptoms resembling the flu. Toxoplasmosis is caused by one of the most common parasitic microorganisms in the world – Toxoplasma gondii. For the majority of those infected with Toxoplasma gondii, no symptoms occur, but for people with weakened immune systems and children infected during pregnancy from their mother, it can cause serious complications.

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a single-celled parasitic organism that can infect many animals and birds, but these parasites can only reproduce sexually in the bodies of cats and their family members. Cats become infected with T. gondii by eating an infected mouse, bird, or contaminated meat. T. gondii settles in the thin intestine of cats, transforms into young cells called oocysts, which are excreted in the feces into the environment. Millions of these cells can enter the environment during one bowel movement. If a person becomes infected with toxoplasmosis, it forms cysts in various parts of the body, but mostly in the brain and muscles (including the heart muscle). In a healthy person with a strong immune system, toxoplasmosis remains in an inactive state in the body. However, if the immune system is suppressed due to illness or medication, toxoplasmosis can become active and cause serious complications.

Source | Glossary of Most Commonly Used Biomedical Terms and Concepts | Lithuanian University of Health Sciences | Academician Professor Antanas Praškevičius, Professor Laima Ivanovienė