Medicine and Medical Sciences

The obligatory intracellular protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is the cause of toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease that is common in both veterinary and human medicine. Mostwarm-blooded animals are susceptible to infection by this parasite. Although the disease is subclinical and poorly understood, timely and precise diagnosis is crucial for the use of control and preventative strategies. This review was aimed to elucidate the zoonotic importance, diagnostic methods and control strategies of toxoplasmosis in human and animals. Humans are reservoir hosts for T. gondii, while cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, pigs, and camels are the definitive hosts, along with domestic cats and other felids. According to this, the parasite can only finish its sexual life cycle in these specific host species; its environmentally resistant oocysts can only be expelled along with the infected Felids' excrement. Oocysts play a crucial role in T. gondii's life cycle. If consumed, they can infect a wide range of warm-blooded intermediate hosts after one to several days of development (sporulation) in the environment. In tissue cysts, tachyzoites and bradyzoites are second-order entities. The preferred locations for tissue cyst formation include the brain, skeletal, and cardiac muscles, as well as the retina of infected intermediate hosts. It is acknowledged as a primary factor in both human and animal abortion. Consuming raw meat, food, or water tainted with oocysts and vertically (congenital infection) is the primary way that the disease is contracted. Since felidae play a major role in the spread of T. gondii by shedding oocysts, prevention and control measures for animals should concentrate on preventing hunting and feeding of the species. Humans can maintain control by properly cleaning raw vegetables and meats, using gardening gloves, and washing their hands with soap and water. As a One Health illness, toxoplasmosis poses a serious threat to human health as well as that of domestic animals, wildlife, and ecosystems. People who depend on animal resources also view it as a threat. Public education and awareness creation are crucial. Furthermore, the control of the diseases depends on a precise diagnosis of toxoplasmosis made using molecular and microscopic methods.

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