Tachyzoite: crescent shape with a tapered anterior end and a large nucleus set centrally
Route of transmission
Oral ingestion: The oocysts are excreted in the feces of cats (final host) and are orally ingested by other mammals such as humans, hoofed animals, and birds (intermediate hosts). Primary modes of transmission include the following:
Cat feces
Raw or insufficiently cooked meat (most common)
Unpasteurized milk (especially goat milk)
Transplacental transmission: see toxoplasmosis in pregnancy
Via organ transplantation or blood transfusion
Pathophysiology
Clinical features
Ocular toxoplasmosis
Clinical features
Chorioretinitis
Defects in the visual field at the site of inflammation
Pain
Optic atrophy or macular scar formation can progress to blindness.
