Latent Toxoplasmosis Effects on Rodents and Humans: How Much is Real and How Much is Media Hype?

Abstract

Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous, intracellular protozoan parasite with a broad range of intermediate hosts, including humans and rodents. In many hosts, T. gondii establishes a latent long-term infection by converting from its rapidly dividing or lytic form to its slowly replicating and encysting form. In humans and rodents, the major organ for encystment is the central nervous system (CNS), which has led many to investigate how this persistent CNS infection might influence rodent and human behavior and, more recently, neurodegenerative diseases.

ABSTRACT

Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous, intracellular protozoan parasite with a broad range of intermediate hosts, including humans and rodents. In many hosts, T. gondii establishes a latent long-term infection by converting from its rapidly dividing or lytic form to its slowly replicating and encysting form. In humans and rodents, the major organ for encystment is the central nervous system (CNS), which has led many to investigate how this persistent CNS infection might influence rodent and human behavior and, more recently, neurodegenerative diseases. Given the interest in this topic, here we seek to take a global approach to the data for and against the effects of latent T. gondii on behavior and neurodegeneration and the proposed mechanisms that might underlie behavior modifications.