Toxoplasma gondii

Parasitology Dept.

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About Toxoplasma gondii

• An obligate intracellular parasite

• Has very low host specificity, probably
infect almost any mammal (warm blooded-
animals)
• Has also been reported from birds
• Two phases of life cycle:
intestinal/enteroepithelial and
extraintestinal phases
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About Toxoplasma gondii

• Intestinal phase occurs in cats only

(both wild and domesticated ones)
produces oocyst
• Extraintestinal phase occurs in all
infected animals produces tachyzoit
(trophozoit) and zoitocyst (bradyzoit)

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About Toxoplasma gondii

Oocyst: produced in cat’s intestine through gametogony

(sexually reproduction). Each oocyst contains two
sporocysts 4
About Toxoplasma gondii

Tachyzoites: note the characteristic crescent type! It can

infect any cell and body tissue but erythrocyte
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About Toxoplasma gondii

Zoitocysts filled with bradyzoites

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Life cycle