Neurophysiological Changes Induced by Chronic Toxoplasma gondii Infection

Although the parasite Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most pervasive neurotropic pathogens in the world, the host-parasite interactions during CNS infection and consequences of neurological infection are just beginning to be unraveled. The chronic stages of infection have been considered dormant, although several studies have found correlations of infection with an array of host behavioral changes. These may facilitate parasite transmission and impact neurological diseases. During infection, in addition to the presence of the parasites within neurons, host-mediated neuroimmune and hormonal responses to infection are also present. T. gondii induces numerous changes to host neurons during infection and globally alters host neurological signaling pathways, as discussed in this review. Understanding the neurophysiological changes in the host brain is imperative to understanding the parasitic mechanisms and to delineate the effects of this single-celled parasite on health and its contribution to neurological disease.

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Proteomic analysis of rhoptry organelles reveals many novel constituents for host-parasite interactions in Toxoplasma gondii.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.1088380.541428 ◽

2007 ◽

Author(s):

Matthew Bogyo

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Proteomic Analysis ◽

Host Parasite Interactions ◽

Host Parasite

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Toxoplasma gondii as a Model of In Vivo Host-Parasite Interactions

Mouse Models of Innate Immunity - Methods in Molecular Biology ◽

10.1007/978-1-4939-9167-9_21 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 237-247 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sheryl Coutermarsh-Ott

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Host Parasite Interactions ◽

Host Parasite

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Horizontal transmission of a parasite is influenced by infected host phenotype and density

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182014001243 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 142 (2) ◽

pp. 395-405 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

K. E. ROBERTS ◽

W. O. H. HUGHES

Keyword(s):

Control Strategies ◽

Horizontal Transmission ◽

Population Level ◽

Pathogen Transmission ◽

Parasite Transmission ◽

Microsporidian Parasite ◽

Female Workers ◽

Host Parasite Interactions ◽

The Social ◽

Host Parasite

SUMMARYTransmission is a key determinant of parasite fitness, and understanding the dynamics of transmission is fundamental to the ecology and evolution of host–parasite interactions. Successful transmission is often reliant on contact between infected individuals and susceptible hosts. The social insects consist of aggregated groups of genetically similar hosts, making them particularly vulnerable to parasite transmission. Here we investigate how the ratio of infected to susceptible individuals impacts parasite transmission, using the honey bee, Apis mellifera and its microsporidian parasite Nosema ceranae. We used 2 types of infected hosts found simultaneously in colonies; sterile female workers and sexual males. We found a higher ratio of infected to susceptible individuals in groups resulted in a greater proportion of susceptibles becoming infected, but this effect was non-linear and interestingly, the ratio also affected the spore production of infected individuals. The transmission level was much greater in an experiment where the infected individuals were drones than in an experiment where they were workers, suggesting drones may act as intracolonial ‘superspreaders’. Understanding the subtleties of transmission and how it is influenced by the phenotype of the infected/susceptible individuals is important for understanding pathogen transmission at population level, and for optimum targeting of parasite control strategies.

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Divergent co-transcriptomes of different host cells infected with Toxoplasma gondii reveal cell type-specific host-parasite interactions.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.727874209.793542877 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Emma Wilson

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Host Cells ◽

Cell Type ◽

Specific Host ◽

Host Parasite Interactions ◽

Cell Type Specific ◽

Host Parasite

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Toxoplasmaon the Brain: Understanding Host-Pathogen Interactions in Chronic CNS Infection

Journal of Parasitology Research ◽

10.1155/2012/589295 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2012 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Sushrut Kamerkar ◽

Paul H. Davis

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Chronic Infection ◽

New Technologies ◽

Parasite Prevalence ◽

Behavioral Changes ◽

Cns Infection ◽

Host Pathogen Interactions ◽

Host Pathogen ◽

The Central Nervous System ◽

The Brain

Toxoplasma gondiiis a prevalent obligate intracellular parasite which chronically infects more than a third of the world’s population. Key to parasite prevalence is its ability to form chronic and nonimmunogenic bradyzoite cysts, which typically form in the brain and muscle cells of infected mammals, including humans. While acute clinical infection typically involves neurological and/or ocular damage, chronic infection has been more recently linked to behavioral changes. Establishment and maintenance of chronic infection involves a balance between the host immunity and parasite evasion of the immune response. Here, we outline the known cellular interplay betweenToxoplasma gondiiand cells of the central nervous system and review the reported effects ofToxoplasma gondiion behavior and neurological disease. Finally, we review new technologies which will allow us to more fully understand host-pathogen interactions.

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