Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous zoonotic parasite with an obligatory intracellular lifestyle. It relies on a specialized set of cytoskeletal and secretory organelles for host cell invasion. When infecting its felid definitive host, T. gondii undergoes sexual reproduction in the intestinal epithelium, producing oocysts that are excreted with the feces and sporulate in the environment. In other hosts and/or tissues, T. gondii multiplies by asexual reproduction. Rapidly dividing tachyzoites expand through multiple tissues, particularly nervous and muscular tissues, and eventually convert to slowly dividing bradyzoites which produce tissue cysts, structures that evade the immune system and remain infective within the host. Infection normally occurs through ingestion of sporulated oocysts or tissue cysts. While T. gondii is able to infect virtually all warm-blooded animals, most infections in humans are asymptomatic, with clinical disease occurring most often in immunocompromised hosts or fetuses carried by seronegative mothers that are infected during pregnancy.
Highlights
It relies on a specialized set of cytoskeletal and secretory organelles for host cell invasion
While T. gondii is able to infect virtually all warm-blooded animals, most infections in humans are asymptomatic, with clinical disease occurring most often in immunocompromised hosts or fetuses carried by seronegative mothers that are infected during pregnancy
T. gondii tachyzoites divide inside a parasitophorous vacuole produced by the parasite
Summary
Toxoplasma gondii is frequently described as one of the most successful parasites, due to its ubiquitous distribution, the wide range of host species it is able to infect and its high prevalence rates around the world. T. gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite and is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis in humans and animals. T. gondii has a worldwide distribution and infects a wide variety of animals, only a fraction develop disease [5,6]. Dividing tachyzoites readily invade and replicate in many tissues and cell types and, if not kept in check by the host’s immune system, extensive proliferation causes acute disease and severe tissue pathology in multiple organs [7]. Therapeutic and prophylactic options currently available are either insufficient, or cause severe adverse side effects in both humans and animals [9]
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