Understanding the Relationship of Chronic Toxoplasma Gondii Infection and Schizophrenia

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is an important neurotropic parasite that can infect any warm-blooded animals including humans and causes Toxoplasmosis. The infection rate varies from 10-90 % world-wide depending on environmental or socioeconomic factors and geographic locations [1]. Due to its wide-spread nature and infection capacity, T. gondii has both medical and veterinary importance. After acute infection in human and warm-blooded livestock animals, T. gondii accomplishes its asexual stages life cycle through stage conversion of the parasite from fast replicating tachyzoite to slow replicating dormant bradyzoite particularly in brain and skeletal muscle [2]. This stage differentiation of the parasite brain and skeletal muscle permit them for establishing lifelong persistent infection. It has to be stressed that human can become infected primarily by ingesting undercooked or raw meats of infected livestock animals or eating contaminated foods and water [3].