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Toxoplasmosis is a kind of flu caused by a parasite named Toxoplasma gondii. The warm-blooded animals and human beings are mostly affected due to such parasites. Pregnant women are at a higher risk of getting attacked by this parasite. Again, if you consume raw meat or undercooked meat, the chances of spreading such a parasite increase. The Conoidasida parasite mainly feeds on living hosts such as animals, birds and sometimes human beings. There is no specific environment that can define this parasite. They changed their form and survived under different circumstances.
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Key Takeaways: Toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma gondii, Parasites, Oocysts, Sporulation
Life Cycle of Toxoplasma gondii
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The life cycle of the parasites differ. One cannot guarantee the life of toxoplasma gondii as they have a high rate of sexual reproduction. They mainly reproduce in the host body of cats. If they come through an intermediate host, they tend to reproduce faster. The life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii is divided into mainly three stages:
Stage 1
The first phase is called an oocyst. It looks like a cyst. This is the phase where they start producing eggs or in other words spores. And this production process is called sporulation. You will mainly find such parasites in the body of dogs or cats. These intermediate hosts spend most of their time on mud. Mud increases their probability of getting affected by this parasite and this starts multiplying easily. In short, stage one or Oocyst Stage is referred to as the producing stage. In stage one, the intermediate host can get affected in about five days.
Stage 2
Once the Oocyst affects the intermediate host, the cat, dog, or human being can suffer mainly from indigestion issues. The oocyst gets converted into tachyzoites and affects different muscles and tissues of the body. One can feel immense strain and pain in their muscles if affected by these secondary and converted parasites. They start converting your tissues into a new form of tissue named cyst Bradyzoites. This is the stage when the parasite enters into its third phase and can increase its infection level in the body of the hosts.
Stage 3
In the third stage, the parasite tends to enter the nervous system of the human body and affect them. Mostly the cats are highly infected by this parasite as they feed on other hosts. If the other hosts who are already affected with such parasites have been fitted by such a cat there is a high possibility that the cat will also contain such disease. In the third stage, the nervous system starts getting affected and if not treated well it can break down. In the human body, the cyst tends to affect the eyes, brain, heart, and sometimes the bones. There is no separate specification of where you will find such parasites but it is present in most parts of the world. You need to keep your animals safe and clean from the mud to reduce the chances of getting affected by such parasites and the same works for human beings.
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Causes of Toxoplasmosis
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As already mentioned above mostly the intermediate hosts such as the cat, dogs, and other animals get affected by the Toxoplasma gondii parasite but the reasons mainly tend to be with the mud or being dirty.
In human beings, there can be many reasons why they are affected by such cysts like:
- Undercooked or raw meat is one major reason for getting affected. It disturbs the assists and the tissues of human beings badly. It can generate such parasites inside the body that can further get translated into such cysts.
- Contaminated food and water are also major causes of this disease. Many people consume the raw water collected from outside that can contain the faeces of many animals. This can lead to the generation of such cysts in the human body.
- Organ transplantation or blood transfusion is another reason for the generation of Toxoplasma gondii parasites in the human body. If the donor had this parasite in any form or any stage there is a chance of this being transferred in your body too. When the cysts get transferred during a blood transfusion or organ transplant it generally gets featured in the second stage of life.
- If the mother is pregnant and is affected by this disease, there is a probability that the child will have this parasite too although the child will not be affected to an extent at the initial level but with the growing age, this cyst will get converted into its second and third stage of life and can affect the tissues and the muscles of the baby.
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Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis
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Once you get through the symptoms of such parasites such as indigestion, muscle pain, muscle strain, tissue strain, issues in the retention power or any clots in the brain, eyes pain you should immediately contact your doctor. Your doctor can ask you to take a serology test through which the specimen of such cysts can be examined. They will identify the DNA of such goodies and can test you with the molecular methods of amniotic fluid.
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Things to Remember
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- The Toxoplasma gondii parasite survives in the soil for around 15 to 18 months and can directly affect cats, dogs, and even human beings.
- Tissue sprain, muscle pain or any issues in the brain are the initial symptoms of toxoplasmosis.
- Toxoplasmosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii is a kind of single-celled parasite that affects millions of people worldwide.
- Contaminated food or water and undercooked or raw meat can act as a carrier of this parasite.
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Sample Questions
Ques. What are the causes of Toxoplasmosis? (3 marks)
Ans. The reasons for toxoplasmosis in humans are-
- Undercooked or raw meat is one major reason for getting affected.
- If one consumes contaminated food or contaminated water It can affect the health of a human being.
- Organ transplantation or blood transfusion is another reason for the generation of Toxoplasma gondii parasites in the human body.
Ques. What are the necessary treatments a doctor can suggest to you? (3 marks)
Ans. Your doctor can ask you to take a serology test immediately through which they can determine the specimen and the stage of such toxoplasma gondii to treat it further. Once they identify the DNA of such a parasite, they will come up with different molecular methods of treatment to remove it out of your system. Furthermore, you are always suggested to keep yourself clean and avoid consuming contaminated food or water. You are always suggested to have cooked food and make sure that your meat is not rare or medium-rare. If required the PCR treatments can also be adopted to remove it from your system permanently.
Ques. Who is affected by these parasites? (3 marks)
Ans. It is mainly the warm-blooded animals including humans who are generally affected by such parasites. One will mostly find this disease in cats and dogs but human beings are not an exception. Cats and dogs are mostly found in the mud or feed on other hosts for which this parasite affects them quickly. And if the human beings are on contaminated water that includes the release of any cats or dogs then they can also get affected from the same.
Ques. Describe the oocyst stage of Toxoplasma gondii. (3 marks)
Ans. Oocyst is the first stage where they start reproducing. It can stand between 1 to 3 weeks and then they will start multiplying. During this stage, they affect the intermediate host within five days and can cause indigestion. They start their production through sporulation. They can sporulate in any environment and can shed after three weeks. If one starts to face indigestion and treats it immediately, it might happen that this oocyst will not reproduce further and will not get into the second stage.
Ques. What are the human symptoms when affected by Toxoplasma gondii? (3 marks)
Ans. Toxoplasmosis is defined by doctors when humans are affected by the Toxoplasma gondii parasite. The symptoms one can face are as follows:
- General flu
- Body pain and muscle pain
- Strong headache
- Eyes pain
- Indigestion and many more for a few weeks.
Ques. Of all the humans who should take maximum protection to stop from getting affected from toxoplasmosis. (3 mark)
Ans. Generally, all human beings are suggested to consume fresh food and water to avoid such diseases. But the pregnant woman should take maximum precaution because it is not only they who will get affected but the small one inside the mother will also get affected from the same that can cause long term effect on their body. At times such cyst can also damage the tissues of the pregnant mother that can affect the nervous system of the baby.
Ques. For how long toxoplasmosis exists in the human body. (2 marks)
Ans. According to most doctors, the initial stage cyst stays in the body for at least six to seven days and starts affecting the human body by five days. When it gets into a coma it tends to affect the human body for the next 7 to 14 days after which it starts shedding. But the effects of such toxoplasmosis barely leaves the human body. It is a lifetime issue that stays within the human body for the whole life.
Ques. What are the effects of toxoplasmosis on unborn babies? (5 marks)
Ans. Almost one out of 10,000 born babies have toxoplasmosis. It is said that if the mother has a strong immune system and is healthy, it barely affects the baby. After examining the born babies the doctors have said that even during birth they are found to be healthy. After a few months or after a few years they might face some serious problems because of their decreasing immunity such as muscle pain, tissue pain, brain issues, and many more but can be treated at that time only. During birth, if the baby does not have any effects of toxoplasmosis, the baby cannot be treated any further.
Ques. Describe Toxoplasma gondii in soil. (3 marks)
Ans. The cats, dogs or human beings are also affected by Toxoplasma gondii from the soil at the initial level. They lay their eggs on the soil generally on the faeces of the animals that have their stability up to 18 months. The eggs laid in the soil have the capacity of growing within a period of 12 to 15 months which afterwards affects the intermediate hosts. If it is washed away within a stabilized time, it will not reproduce any further.
Ques. Describe the stage 3 bradyzoites tissues life cycle of toxoplasma gondii. (5 marks)
Ans. In the third stage, the parasite tends to enter the nervous system of the human body and affect them. Mostly the cats are highly infected by this parasite as they feed on other hosts. If the other hosts who are already affected with such parasites have been fitted by such a cat there is a high possibility that the cat will also contain such disease. In the third stage, the nervous system starts getting affected and if not treated well it can break down. In the human body, the cyst tends to affect the eyes, brain, heart, and sometimes the bones.
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