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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #32588
Title: BIOLOGY OF TOXOPLASMOSIS

Author
item PETERSEN E - STATENS SERUMINSTITUT
item DUBEY JITENDER P - 1265-55-00

Submitted to: Clinical Toxoplasmosis: Prevention and Management
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/21/1994
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This paper reviews information on the biology of the protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. Infections by this parasite are widespread in man and other warm-blooded animals in many countries, including the U.S. T. gondii can cause mental retardation and loss of vision in congenitally infected children and mortality in immunosuppressed patients. It also causes abortion in sheep, goats and pigs. Felidae are the main reservoirs of infection because they are the only hosts that can excrete the resistant stage, oocyst, in feces. Humans become infected by ingesting food or water contaminated with oocysts or eating uncooked meat of infected animals. There is no vaccine to prevent infection in man or animals