Human impact on the diversity and virulence of the ubiquitous zoonotic parasite Toxoplasma gondii.

ABSTRACT: A majority of emerging infectious diseases in humans are zoonoses. Understanding factors that influence the emergence and transmission of zoonoses is pivotal for their prevention and control. Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most widespread zoonotic pathogens known today. Whereas only a few genotypes of T. gondii dominate in the Northern Hemisphere, many genotypes coexist in South America. Furthermore, T. gondii strains from South America are more likely to be virulent than those from the Northern Hemisphere. However, it is not clear what factor(s) shaped modern-day genetic diversity and virulence of T. gondii Here, our analysis suggests that the rise and expansion of farming in the past 11,000 years established the domestic cat/mouse transmission cycle for T.

SUBMITTER: Shwab EK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6055184 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature