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Biology of Toxoplasma Gondii in Cast and Other Animals

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Opportunistic Infections: Toxoplasma, Sarcocystis, and Microsporidia

Part of the book series: World Class Parasites ((WCPA,volume 9))

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite of warm-blooded animals including humans. It has a worldwide distribution. Cats, including all felines, are its definitive hosts and excrete environmentally-resistant oocysts in their feces. Hosts become infected by ingesting food or drink contaminated with oocysts or by ingesting undercooked meat infected with T. gondii. It causes mental retardation and loss of vision in congenitally-infected children and abortion in livestock. This chapter describes life cycle, epidemiology, diagnosis, and prevention of T. gondii.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Building 1001, BARC-East, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, Maryland, 20705-2350, USA

    J. P. Dubey

  2. Center for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, 1410 Prices Fork Road, Blacksburg, Virginia, 24061-0342, USA

    D. S. Lindsay

Authors
  1. J. P. Dubey
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  2. D. S. Lindsay
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA

    David S. Lindsay

  2. Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA

    Louis M. Weiss

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Dubey, J.P., Lindsay, D.S. (2004). Biology of Toxoplasma Gondii in Cast and Other Animals. In: Lindsay, D.S., Weiss, L.M. (eds) Opportunistic Infections: Toxoplasma, Sarcocystis, and Microsporidia. World Class Parasites, vol 9. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-7846-0_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-7846-0_1

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