High prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii oocyst shedding in stray and pet cats (Felis catus) in Virginia United States

摘要

BackgroundThe protozoan Toxoplasma gondii is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, with complications varying from mental disease to death. While human infection can occur via ingestion of tissue cysts from infected meat, most human infection comes from oocysts. Cats are the only definitive host, and thus shedding of oocysts by cats provides the ultimate source of toxoplasmosis.