Toxoplasma gondii

Toxoplasma gondii () is an obligate intracellular parasitic protozoan eukaryote (specifically an apicomplexan) that causes the infectious disease toxoplasmosis. Found worldwide, T. gondii is capable of infecting virtually all warm-blooded animals, but felids, such as domestic cats, are the only known definitive hosts in which the parasite may undergo sexual reproduction.In humans, T. gondii is one of the most common parasites in developed countries; serological studies estimate that 30–50% of the global population has been exposed to and may be chronically infected with T. gondii, although infection rates differ significantly from country to country. [Source: Wikipedia ]