Impact

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infection found throughout the world. It is caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, commonly carried by cats and other animals. People can become infected by eating raw or partly cooked meat, or by touching anything that has come into contact with cat feces. While more than 60 million people in the United States are infected with toxoplasmosis, very few have symptoms because the immune system usually prevents the parasite from causing illness. People with compromised immune system problems (i.e. AIDS or cancer patients) may develop severe toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasma gondii is related to the parasite that causes malaria, and is sometimes used as a model for studies relevant to both parasites. If a woman first becomes infected during pregnancy, her fetus is at risk for abnormal brain development or miscarriage.

Symptoms

Symptoms of acute toxoplasmosis are flu-like and include swollen lymph glands, muscle aches and pains that, if noticed at all, last for a few days to several weeks. In immuno-compromised patients, toxoplasmosis can cause brain infection and can be fatal.

Seattle BioMed's Role

Seattle BioMed combines expertise in cell biology and molecular genetics to decipher the complexities of the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis. Similar to the parasite that causes malaria, the toxoplasmosis parasite contains a sub-cellular structure called a plastid, which is related to plant chloroplasts. Specific metabolic pathways within this plastid are critical for the survival of the parasites. The proteins necessary for these pathways are made elsewhere in the cell and must be transported into the plastid. Researchers at Seattle BioMed have identified the initial steps that direct proteins to this structure. As the basic biology of this process becomes fully understood, strategies for inhibiting the passage of the proteins may lead to new types of treatment for both toxoplasmosis and malaria. With expertise in both cellular and molecular genetics, scientists here are hoping to unlock the mysteries of this fundamental process.