Found worldwide from Alaska to Australasia, Toxoplasma gondii knows no geographic boundaries. The protozoan is the source of one of the most common parasitic infections in humans, livestock, companion animals, and wildlife, and has gained notoriety with its inclusion on the list of potential bioterrorism microbes. In the two decades since the publi

Toxoplasmosis is caused by a one-celled protozoan parasite known as Toxoplasma gondii. In the United States, it is estimated that approximately 30% of cats, the primary carriers, have been infected by T. gondii. Most humans contract toxoplasmosis by eating cyst-contaminated raw or undercooked meat, vegetables, or milk products or when they come into contact with the T. gondii eggs from cat feaces while cleaning a cat's litterbox, gardening, or playing in a sandbox. Approx 1 in 4 (more than 60 million) people in the USA are infected with the parasite, and in the UK between 0.5 and 1% of indivi.

This open access book analyzes the evidence linking Toxoplasma gondii to the increasing incidence of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in the United States. Initially establishing that infectious agents are regularly transmitted from animals to humans, lead to human disease, and that infectious agents can cause psychosis, it then examines the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii in detail. Infecting 40 million Americans, Toxoplasma gondii is known to cause congenital infections, eye disease, and encephalitis for individuals who are immunosuppressed. It has also been shown to change the behavior of nonhuman mammals, as well as to alter some personality traits in humans. After discussing the clinical evidence linking Toxoplasma gondii to human psychosis, the book elucidates the epidemiological evidence further supporting this linkage; including the proportional increase in incidence of human psychosis as cats transitioned to domestication over 800 years. Finally, the book assesses the magnitude of the problem and suggests solutions. Parasites, Pussycats and Psychosis: The Unknown Dangers of Human Toxoplasmosis provides a comprehensive review of the evidence linking human psychosis in the United States to infections of Toxoplasma gondii. It will be of interest to infectious disease specialists, general practitioners, scientists, historians, and cat-lovers.

This well-structured and lavishly illustrated book is a comprehensive reference on intraocular inflammation that encompasses all anatomic forms, settings and etiologies. Individual sections are devoted to uveitis associated with systemic disorders, uveitis syndromes restricted to the eye, bacterial uveitis, viral uveitis, fungal uveitis, parasitic uveitis, uveitis caused by other microbes, traumatic uveitis, and masquerade syndromes. Chapters on the different forms of uveitis are in a homogeneous reader-friendly format, with identification of core messages, explanation of etiology and pathogenesis, up-to-date information on diagnostics and differential diagnosis and guidance on the most appropriate forms of treatment and prognosis. Helpful flow charts are included to assist in identification of potential underlying disorders and the reader will also have online access to one hundred informative case reports demonstrating the different courses of intraocular inflammation. The authors are world experts keen to share their vast experience with the reader. Intraocular Inflammation will be a valuable resource for all physicians who deal with patients with inflammatory eye disease.

Complete information on T. gondii infections in animals and man is summarized and analyzed in this thorough reference text. Critical in-formation on its economic impact and its effect on production of animals whose flesh is used for food is featured. The clinical and subclinical infections in all major species of livestock are pre-sented. For each animal species, worldwide serological prevalences are tabulated with T. gondii antibody titers, followed by an experi-mental section. Worldwide prevalences of T. gondii infections in mankind is summarized, highlighting epidemiology, symptom diag-nosis, treatment, and prevention. Past research is summarized and areas of future investigations are suggested. This book is highly useful to veterinarians, physicians, biologists, and researchers.

Toxoplasmosis is caused by a one-celled protozoan parasite known as Toxoplasma gondii. In the United States, it is estimated that approximately 30% of cats, the primary carriers, have been infected by T. gondii. Most humans contract toxoplasmosis by eating cyst-contaminated raw or undercooked meat, vegetables, or milk products or when they come into contact with the T. gondii eggs from cat feaces while cleaning a cat's litterbox, gardening, or playing in a sandbox. Approx 1 in 4 (more than 60 million) people in the USA are infected with the parasite, and in the UK between 0.5 and 1% of individuals become infected each year. By the age of 50, 40% of people test positive for the parasite. The predilection of this parasite is for the central nervous system (CNS) causing behavioral and personality alterations as well as fatal necrotizing encephalitis, and is especially dangerous for HIV infected patients.Though there have been tremendous strides in our understanding of the biology of Toxoplasma gondii in the last decade, there has been no systemic review of all of the information that has accumulated. Toxoplasma gondii provides the first comprehensive summary of literature on this organism by leading experts in the field who were responsible for organising the 7th International Congress on Toxoplasmosis in May 2003. It offeres systematic reviews of the biology of this pathogen as well as descriptions of the methods and resources used. Within the next year the T. gondii genome will be completed making this an indispensable research resource for biologists, physicians, parasitologists, and for all those contemplating experiments using T. gondii.* Serves as a model for understanding invasion of host cells by parasites, immune response, motility, differentiation, phylogenetics, evolution and organelle acquisition* Discusses the protocols related to genetic manipulation, cell biology and animal models while also providing reference material on available resources for working with this organism

For years, toxoplasmosis has been known as disease mostly affecting newborns. Since immunocompromised patients (AIDS) present a high risk of reactivation of chronic toxoplasmosis this parasitic disease has gained increasing interest. Besides presenting clinical and therapeutical concepts, this volume provides current knowledge about genetics and immunology of T. gondii and the interaction with its 'host'. Since in vivo and in vitro models of toxoplasmosis exist, and genetic manipulation has become possible, this protozoan parasite has recently been accepted as a model for understanding the pathogenesis and persistance of other intracellular parasites. The articles of the book compromise both reviewing current concepts and reporting on yet unpublished results of leading scientists in this field.