Toxoplasmosis in Animals and Humans - Its Diagnosis, Epidemiology and Control (original) (raw)

2014, International Journal of Livestock Research

Toxoplasmosis, caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is one of the most common global parasitic zoonoses of great public health and economic importance. Nearly one-third of human population has been exposed to this parasite. In most adults, it does not produce serious illness, but it can cause blindness and mental retardation in congenitally infected children and devastating disease in immunocompromised individuals. Toxoplasmosis ranks high on the list of diseases that lead to the death of patients with AIDS. Among the food animals, T. gondii infections are more prevalent in pigs, sheep, and goats than in cattle. Toxoplasmosis causes considerable economic losses to the sheep industry worldwide. Clinical signs of toxoplasmosis are non-specific and are not sufficiently characteristic for a definite diagnosis. Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is made by biological, serological, histological, molecular methods, or by some combination of the above. To prevent food-borne horizontal transmission of T. gondii to humans, meat and other edible parts of animals should not be consumed raw or undercooked. Pregnant women, especially, should avoid contact with cats, soil and raw meat. Serological screening of pregnant women is an effective strategy to prevent prenatal infections of T. gondii to their children. Extreme care should be used in handling litter boxes used by cat. The development of a simple, sensitive, rapid and cheap method for the detection and identification of T.gondii is highly imperative for the diagnosis and epidemiological studies of toxoplasmosis. In addition, health education of the public about source of infection, the mode of transmission, severity of disease, and preventive measures is also emphasized.