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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #422817
Research Project: Foodborne Parasites and their Impact on Food Safety

Location: Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory

Title: Enteroepithelial stages of Toxoplasma gondii in the ileum of cats by serial block face scanning electron microscopy

Author
item ATTIAS, MARCIA - Universidade Federal Do Rio De Janeiro
item DE SOUZA, WANDERLEY - Universidade Federal Do Rio De Janeiro
item Dubey, Jitender

Submitted to: Cell and Tissue Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/17/2025
Publication Date: 7/1/2025
Citation: Attias, M., De Souza, W., Dubey, J.P. 2025. Enteroepithelial stages of Toxoplasma gondii in the ileum of cats by serial block face scanning electron microscopy. Cell and Tissue Research. 401:287-295. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-025-03988-w.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-025-03988-w

Interpretive Summary: Food safety is of public health importance. Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infection that cause death and human suffering and economic losses to farmers. The ingestion of uncooked/undercooked meat is one of the main modes of transmission of the parasite to humans. Felids are important in the life cycle of the parasite because they are the only hosts that can excrete in their feces the environmentally resistant stage, the oocyst. Researcher at ARS pioneered research on the biology and control of this parasite before redirection of Toxoplasma research in 2019. Here, the authors studied developmental stages of this parasite by newer techniques in electron microscopy. This research was performed in November 2012, before the redirection of Toxoplasma research. The results will be of interest to veterinarians, public health workers, parasitologists, and epidemiologists.

Technical Abstract: This study investigates the enteroepithelial stages of Toxoplasma gondii in the feline ileum using high resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and serial block face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM). By employing advanced imaging techniques, including creative sample processing methods, this research provides new insights into the development, distribution, and maturation of T. gondii within infected intestinal cells. Comparison with previous studies confirms earlier findings while offering enhanced resolution and three-dimensional models of the parasite’s progression. SBF-SEM enabled the visualization of asexual forms of the parasite, from merozoites to multinucleated schizonts and rosettes, distributed along the intestinal villi. These observations suggest a tendency for merozoites to accumulate near the villus extrusion zone, where they are later released. Despite these advancements, the mechanisms of gamete fertilization and oocyst egress remain unresolved, highlighting key areas for future research.