In recent years, Toxoplasmosis has gained a bit of popularity because the main carrier is cats and its main vector is cat feces.
Studies conducted over the past few decades have linked toxoplasmosis to everything from changes in sexual orientation to higher rates of car accidents, and even one recent study found correlation between childhood cat ownership and adult psychosis.
The latest research shows that anywhere from 30 to 50 percent of the global population is infected, that percentage could be as high as 66 percent per recent community-based study.
Toxoplasmosis Floaters
The parasite can also be spread through undercooked meat that often attacks the retina, and toxoplasmosis of the eye is one of the most common diseases associated with Toxoplasma gondii. It can cause “floaters” that obscure a person’s vision and lead to vision loss, and can also cause scarring at the back of the eyeball.
In an analysis of Western Australia’s Busselton Healthy Aging Study, which imaged the retinas of more than 5,000 baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964, they found that one of 150 alarming eyeball photos showing signs of scarring from toxoplasmosis in the eye.
As they noted, there is currently no drug or vaccine to prevent or prevent toxoplasmosis infection, and given its estimated prevalence in the global population, makes Toxoplasma a leader in parasite group.
Researchers are hoping that the experimental toxoplasmosis vaccine boosted in recent years will reach pharmacies and veterinarians sooner rather than later because the last thing we have is a parasite in our eyeballs.
Source: Medindia
