Public Health and Economic Significance of Toxoplasmosis

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease widely distributed throughout the world and is caused by the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii. It is definitive host is felidae family, but has a wide range of intermediate hosts. There are three infective stages of Toxoplasma gondii: Tachyzoites, Bradyzoites and Oocysts. Major routes of transmission in human and animal populations are consuming an infected tissue source (such as raw or undercooked meat), ingestion of oocyst-contaminated food or water and infection of a fetus during pregnancy. After ingestion of tissue cysts, the released bradyzoites from tissue cyst invade the intestinal epithelium transforms into tachyzoite. After invasion of a cell, parasite has ability to actively penetrate hosts cells results in formation of a parasitophorous vacuole where parasite protects itself from host immune cell and replicates intracellularly, form tissue cyst. All extracellular forms of the parasite are directly affected by antibody normal immune response. It can result in a number of syndromes ranging from chorioretinitis to hydrocephalus and neurological deficits. In immunocompromised patient several health problems can be occur: like abortion, mental retardation, seizures, blindness, hydrocephalus, cerebral calcification, chorioretinitis, and ultimately death. The economic significance of Toxoplasmosis is mainly due to reproductive failure in animals, condemnation of meat and wastage of milk, treatment cost in humans and vaccination cost in cats. Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is performed by isolation of the parasite from patients and more commonly by serological tests. Currently, sulfonamide drugs and pyrimethamine used in combination are the gold-standard medicines for treating toxoplasmosis. The best method of control and prevention are  Cleaning and drying of the environment, the use of clean utensils for feed and water, bathing to remove adhering faeces or cysts and proper disposal of faeces cat are pre-requisites to avoid animal to- animal transmission. Pregnant woman should avoid cleaning litter boxes; avoid contact with contaminated garden soil, sandboxes, and eating raw meat whenever possible.

Keywords: Toxoplasmosis, Economic Impact, Public Health, Toxoplasma gondii; zoonotic

DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/111-01

Publication date: November 30^th 2023