Toxoplasmosis: Why prevention proves more effective than symptomatic treatment
Emilia Szymańska
2026-03-24
4 min. read
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First documented in 1908, *Toxoplasma gondii* is an obligate intracellular protozoan responsible for toxoplasmosis, a condition estimated to affect between 30 and 60 percent of the world’s population. The definitive hosts of this pathogen are exclusively members of the *Felidae* family, meaning its geographic distribution aligns with the habitats of these animals. Intermediate hosts, however, encompass all warm-blooded species—including humans, who may remain asymptomatic carriers or, under specific circumstances, develop clinically manifest infection.
Toxoplasmosis is a symptom
A person with an effective immune system produces an immune response as a result of T. gondii attacking his cells. In such people, the infection usually does not cause serious effects as there is no significant tissue damage. However, changes are observed within the lymph nodes. During the first weeks of infection, the disease does not produce any symptoms. In the meantime, the immune response is to establish a balance between the host and the parasite.
Toxoplasmosis is treated
Toxoplasmosis treatment in people who have been infected with food is mainly carried out in case of serious health problems that may lead to a recurrence of the disease. Atovavon and clindamycin are then used. In people with acute toxicoplasmosis, antibiotic treatment is administered and is sometimes repeated several times. During the treatment of a disease, an anti-malarial drug pyrimethamine is used and its action is complemented by sulfadiazine.
Toxoplasmosis is prophylactic
It is also recommended that blood tests of newborns be carried out as soon as possible to eliminate the parasite from the body of the child. Factors that increase the risk of infection with T. gondii include: Close contact with cats in childhood and adulthood. Pregnant women should undergo tests to detect the antibodies of T. Gondii. Blood tests of infants are also recommended to take measures to remove the pathogen from the child's body as early as possible.