Toxoplasmosis Awareness

Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) Toxoplasma gondii is a type of apicomplexan intracellular parasite that causes a widespread zoonotic infection called toxoplasmosis. Felids as cats are the sole specific hosts of T. gondii and their feces contain oocysts responsible for environmental contamination. T. gondii could infect almost all warm-blooded animals including Humans. Consumption of undercooked meat harboring a tissue cyst or ingesting oocysts shed by the definitive host in feces are the two routes humans become infected. T. gondii could also be transmitted vertically from an infected mother to her fetus causing congenital toxoplasmosis that can lead to congenital disabilities and eventual miscarriage. In Egypt toxoplasmosis is still considered a health problem especially during pregnancy and in immunocompromised patients. The seroprevalence of Toxoplasma IgG among Egyptian general population ranged from 3% to 42.5% and in healthy blood donors.