ABSTRACT
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease of global distribution. It is caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, the only species in the Toxoplasma genus. This parasite can infect most warm-blooded animals, including humans and livestock as intermediate hosts (IH). Main routes of transmission are by ingestion of tissue cysts in raw or undercooked meat, ingestion of contaminated raw vegetables or water with T. gondii oocysts from cat feces, and by transplacental transmission. Approximately one-third of human beings are chronically infected by this pathogen which has been incriminated as one of the most fatal foodborne pathogens in the USA. In addition, T. gondii is a parasite of importance in animal health, causing economic losses in farm animals. This chapter highlights the main current techniques for the diagnosis and identification of T. gondii in humans, animals and in the environment, including the latest developments and advancements in those methods, such as rapid diagnostic tests. Correct diagnosis of T. gondii is necessary for the control and prevention of this important disease of public and animal heath importance. Methods used are also indicated by main clinical situations and a small section is also included about latest developments in the study of the parasite itself.
