Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by a parasite that spreads from animals to humans. It is a common disease that is seldom recognized because most infected people do not become sick. In those who have symptoms of the disease, the illness is mild, with swollen lymph nodes and some discomfort. Estimates suggest that one-third of Canadians have been infected. .When a member of the cat family is infected with T. gondii the parasite survives passage through the stomach, eventually infecting epithelial cells of the cat's small intestine. Inside these intestinal cells, the parasites undergo sexual development and reproduction, producing millions of thick-walled, zygote-containing cysts known as oocysts.

Medical advice should be sought if infection is suspected. The need for and the length of treatment depends on the severity of the infection or the possibility of damage to vital organs. Toxoplasmosis is treated primarily with antibacterial and anti-parasitic drugs for about four weeks.In the US about 64,776,924 cases of Toxoplasmosis infection are reported in humans each year. Almost 16% of the US population is infected with Toxoplasmosis, a parasite of dogs and cats that can be passed from animals to humans.