Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a protozoan (unicellular microorganism): Toxoplasma gondii .
This obligate intracellular parasite performs a part of its life cycle in the cat 's intestine, which represents the definitive host in which it can carry out its entire biological cycle, before infecting other warm-blooded animals, including humans.
The cat can become infected when it feeds on small rodents and birds or by ingesting contaminated raw meat. After the infection, the feline eliminates the parasitic elements produced during the intestinal phase ( oocysts ) for about 10-15 days with the feces. In this short period, the amount of oocysts emitted into the surrounding environment can reach an impressive 100 million.
When the oocysts are eliminated with the faeces they are not infectious, but they undergo sporulation, that is they must mature for a few days (on average 2-3, at 24 ° C); in fact, the process is conditioned by climatic conditions (temperature, humidity and oxygen availability).
The oocysts are resistant to the action of the most common disinfectants and can remain viable in the environment for over a year (up to 18 months).
