Toxoplasma gondii parasites, stained red, contained within in a cyst wall. Such a microscopic cyst may develop in various tissues of most warm-blooded vertebrates, including the brain tissue of mice, as captured in the photo above. Photo by Jitender P. Dubey. Retrieved from USDA.gov.
Toxoplasma Gondii Life Cycle and Human Infection. For the parasite, sexual reproduction occurs only in cats, making them the definitive host of T. Gondii. However, an asexual component of its life cycle can occur in nearly any warm-blooded vertebrate, including humans and mice. Since the 1920s it has been known that the parasite could be transmitted by infected women to their fetuses, sometimes resulting in brain damage and even death. Because of this, pregnant women are regularly advised to avoid cleaning their cats’ litter boxes. Retrieved from the University of Washington’s online HIV Case Study (Case #2).
Contrast Brain CT Scan of Patient with Toxoplasma Encephalitis showing ring-enhancing lesions with surrounding vasogenic edema. Retrieved from University of Washington’s online HIV Web Study (Case #3).
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Jaroslav Flegr, Biology professor at Charles University in Prague. In addition to finding correlations between T. Gondii infections and traffic accidents, recent research Flegr undertook with psychiatrist Jiri Horacek has found a possible relationship between T. Gondii and certain cases of schizophrenia. Photo by Jaroslav Flegr. Retrieved from Wikimedia Commons.
Transmission electron micrograph showing details present in T. gondii tissue cyst. In human hosts, T. gondii parasites form tissue cysts, often in skeletal muscle, the brain, or even the eyes. Such cysts may remain throughout the host’s life, and diagnosis is usually made through serology or through stained biopsy specimens. Retrieved from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Public Health Image Library (PHIL).
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Teenage punks, toxic gas, and brain-eating zombies!
"Scientific" cause depicted: Escaped gas housed in military-owned barrels.
