Infographic on toxoplasmosis and its zoonotic ability
Here are some notes on toxoplasmosis in an infographic. I have to be very selective on what to include and omit due to limited space. I have focused on the zoonotic nature of the...
Category: toxoplasmosis
Wily toxoplasma parasite hijacks immune cells to travel around the host
I have had to interpret a very complicated study on the Toxoplasma gondii protozoan parasite published on the Cell Host & Microbe website. But it is an interesting study if you take the time...
Domestic cats overly criticised for their role as hosts of Toxoplasma gondii
The life-cycle of Toxoplasma gondii is complicated. People tend to oversimplify it. They see the domestic cat infecting humans with this protozoan parasite which is about the extent of general knowledge. It isn’t that...
Health tip: preventing a toxoplasmosis infection from cat faeces
A lot has been said about toxoplasmosis and the possibility of contracting it through coming into contact with domestic cat faeces. This has particular significance with respect to pregnant women. Cats get toxoplasma infection...
Toxoplasmosis in wild animals is more common in places of higher human density
A study has found that the protozoan parasitic disease called toxoplasmosis is more commonly found in wild animals that live near or in humanly dense urban areas. The chain of events is the obvious...
How do I know if my cat has toxoplasmosis?
You might not know that your cat has toxoplasmosis because the most common signs are the signs of other illnesses such as lethargy and loss of appetite. However, “feline intestinal toxoplasmosis is usually asymptomatic”....
Premenstrual syndrome and toxoplasmosis
I would like to quickly put the record straight, as I see it, about the news media’s reporting of a link between premenstrual syndrome and toxoplasmosis. The Irish News are reporting on this today...
In Korea an outbreak of human toxoplasmosis was caused by ingesting food contaminated with Toxoplasma gondii
This is a recently published study on how prevalent the disease called toxoplasmosis is in Korean cats and dogs. It appears to have been carried out because of an outbreak of human toxoplasmosis which...
Can cats be tested for toxoplasmosis?
Cats can be tested for toxoplasmosis. Serologic tests including ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) will show if a cat has been exposed to the disease. A positive test in a healthy cat signifies that the...
Can kitty litter cause birth defects?
The question hints at one of the great dilemmas of cat loving women who want to have a child. There are millions of pages on the Internet about pregnancy and toxoplasmosis. It is the...
Note: sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified.