Toxoplasma gondii is an intestinal coccidian parasite that can infect humans and cause toxoplasmosis. It has three infectious stages: oocysts found in cat feces, tachyzoites that actively replicate causing acute infection, and bradyzoites that form cysts in tissues and cause chronic infection. Infection occurs through contact with cat feces, contaminated food or water, or consumption of undercooked meat containing cysts. While most infections are asymptomatic, it can cause flu-like symptoms during acute phase or eye and brain damage in immunocompromised individuals. Treatment involves pyrimethamine, sulfonamides and spiramycine during pregnancy to reduce transmission to fetus. Prevention

1. INTESTINAL COCCIDIA
Toxoplasma gondii
Dr. SouzanH. Eassa,
Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Medicine,
University Of Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.Souzan Eassa

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3. 10 to 13 μ
3 to 6 μ
10 to 100 μ
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4. B. Tachyzoites (Tg):
A. Oocysts:
C. Bradyzoite:
• Contact with cats
• Contaminated food
• Water
• Dirty hands
• Meat
• Blood and its products
• Tissue transplants
• Meat
Cats are infected by hunting and eating their
prey (Bradyzoites), or by coming into contact
with oocysts in feces from infected cats
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5. Sexual Asexual
T. gondii transmission via tachyzoites
T. gondii transmission via oocysts
T. gondii transmission via bradyzoites (tissue cysts)
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6.  Chronic Toxoplasmosis
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 Acute Toxoplasmosis
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 Congenital Toxoplasmosis
Infection has three stages:
Acquired infection form

7. cause damage to the brain
(encephalitis) or the eyes (necrotizing
retinochoroiditis) in
 influenza-like:
swollen lymph nodes, or muscle aches
and pains that last for a month or more
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 Is asymptomatic (most of cases)
 Occurs in immunocompetent people, the
infection enters a latent phase, during
which only bradyzoites are present.

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9.  Pyrimthamine, Sulfonamides, and Spiramycine
 No vaccine available
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Spiramycin was used during
infected pregnancy and it helps to
decrease the number of
tachyzoites transmission to the
fetus

10. Prevention
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• Do not drink untreated drinking water and avoid contact
with food or water potentially contaminated with cat feces.
• Pregnant women should wear gloves when gardening or
when doing outdoor activities, including handling soil
because cats usually use gardens and sandboxes as litter
boxes.
• Cook food to safe temperatures; freeze meat for few days
at (-20C0) temperatures before cooking to limit the
opportunity of infection.
• wash any kitchen utensils with hot soapy water after
contact with raw meat.
• Peel or wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before
eating.

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