Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a common parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, which can infect all mammal and bird species and is found throughout the world. It has been estimated that up to one billion of the world's human population has become infected with the parasite.

 

In England and Wales disease due to toxoplasmosis is reported relatively rarely. However, as symptoms in healthy people are generally mild and non-specific, a significant proportion of cases probably go unnoticed. Studies have estimated that between 7-34% of people in the UK have been infected with T. gondii, however, the vast majority of these people will not have noticed any symptoms.

The Health Protection Agency, in collaboration with Public Health Wales, reviews cases of Toxoplasma gondii infection diagnosed each quarter by the Toxoplasma Reference Unit in Swansea. These are reported in the Health Protection Report.