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Zoonoses - Infections Affecting Humans and Animals pp 355–376Cite as

Toxoplasmosis: A Widespread Zoonosis Diversely Affecting Humans and Animals

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Abstract

Infections by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii are widely prevalent in humans and animals worldwide. Since the discovery of parasite’s life cycle several studies identified sources of human infection through ingestion of viable tissue cysts in raw or undercooked meat or by ingestion of food and water contaminated with sporulated oocysts after being shed in the feces of infected felids. Prevalence of toxoplasmosis varies between different countries and regions in the same country depending on age, social culture, eating habits and environmental factors. In immunocompetent patients, toxoplasmosis is generally asymptomatic or benign, but severe infections are described in tropical areas due to atypical strains. In immunocompromised patients, T. gondii is an opportunistic parasite that may induce life-threatening disease; severe disease could occur in HIV-infected patients or in transplant patients. Finally, in case of congenital toxoplasmosis, infection can lead to abortion, cerebral damage or ocular lesions. New genotyping tools were recently applied to field studies in different continents and revealed a complex population structure for T. gondii with a greater genetic diversity than expected. Moreover, a relation between Toxoplasma genotype and the severity of infection is described. According to different routes of transmission, hygienic measures can be recommended to avoid Toxoplasma infection. These measures can be accompanied by a serological screening of patient at risk for toxoplasmosis as it is recommended in France. Although screening is expensive, the important preventive role of health care policies in the decrease of the burden of toxoplasmosis cannot be denied.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parasitology-Mycology, EA 3800 and National Reference Centre on Toxoplasmosis, Hospital Maison Blanche, 45 rue Cognacq-Jay, 51092, Reims Cedex, France

    Isabelle Villena

  2. Department of Parasitology-Mycology, EA 3800, SFR Cap-Santé FED 4231, UFR Medicine, University of Reims- Champagne-Ardenne and National Reference Centre on Toxoplasmosis, Hospital Maison Blanche, 45 rue Cognacq-Jay, 51092, Reims Cedex, France

    Dominique Aubert & Isabelle Villena

  3. Department of Parasitology-Mycology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Rennes and INSERM U1085—IRSET (Institut de Recherche en Santé Environnement Travail), University de Rennes, 1, 2 Av Prof Léon Bernard, 35043, Rennes Cedex, France

    Florence Robert-Gangneux

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  1. Florence Robert-Gangneux
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  2. Dominique Aubert
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Correspondence to Isabelle Villena .

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  1. Dept. of Infectiology, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleißheim, Bayern, Germany

    Andreas Sing

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Robert-Gangneux, F., Aubert, D., Villena, I. (2015). Toxoplasmosis: A Widespread Zoonosis Diversely Affecting Humans and Animals. In: Sing, A. (eds) Zoonoses - Infections Affecting Humans and Animals. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9457-2_14

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