Toxoplasma

Toxoplasma /Toxo·plas·ma/ (tok″so-plaz´mah) a genus of sporozoa that are intracellular parasites of many organs and tissues of birds and mammals, including humans. T. gon´dii is the etiologic agent of toxoplasmosis.

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Toxoplasma

[tok′sōplaz′mə]

Etymology: Gk, toxikon + plasma, something formed

a genus of protozoa with only one known species, T. gondii, an intracellular parasite of cats and other hosts that causes toxoplasmosis in humans.

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Toxoplasma

a genus of apicomplexan parasites in the family Sarcocystidae.

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Toxoplasma gondii

a coccidian parasite of the intestine of all felids, including especially the domestic cat, jaguarundi, ocelot, mountain lion, leopard cat, and bobcat, which are definitive hosts. Most vertebrates, including humans and birds, can be infected with the intermediate stages and experience one or other forms of the disease toxoplasmosis. Oocysts are the infective stage of importance in farm animals, and the only environmental infective stage for herbivores. Oocysts excreted in the feces of cats can survive in soil for many months and are ingested by the intermediate (livestock) host, and the parasite invades tissues to produce tissue cysts. The invasion can include the fetus. Tissue cysts in the intermediate host cause damage to the nervous system, myocardium, lung tissue, and placenta. Bradyzoites in animal tissues are a source for toxoplasmosis in humans and pigs.

Toxoplasma hammondi

see hammondiahammondi.