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Toxoplasmosis is a disease cause by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. This virus can infect almost all warm blooded animals. Humans are infected by the virus from eating food, drinking water, or ingesting soil that has been contaminated with infected cat feces. Humans can get this parasite through eating raw or undercooked meat from animals that have been infected. This parasitic disease is known mostly in felines. It is very unlikely for humans to get this from their cats; although, it does happen. Most people do not have any symptoms and would never even realize they had it. However, occasionally there can be symptoms such as fever, headache, eye pain, or muscle aches. This parasite is the reason people tell women who are pregnant to not clean a cat litter box. The CDC recently identified this parasite as one of the five most neglected parasitic infection in people. More than 60 million people are thought to be infected. The CDC states, "the life cycle of T. gondii is complex and involves two types of hosts — “definitive” hosts in which the parasite reproduces and forms eggs (called oocysts), and “intermediate” hosts in which it reproduces by making clones of itself, which cluster inside cysts." Cats are a necessity to the Toxoplasma gondii, although, they very rarely show any symptoms. Felines are the only definitive host for this parasite. In cats feces these oocytes are released by the millions. This is the reason so many animals are infected. "Additionally, some of the T. gondii released from cysts from the infected meat will penetrate more deeply into the wall of the cat’s intestine and multiply as yet another form, called a tachyzoite. This form then spreads from the intestine to other parts of the cat. Eventually, the cat’s immune system forces the parasite into a dormant or “resting” stage where it forms cysts in muscles and the brain. These cysts contain slowly multiplying Toxoplasma organisms in yet another form, called a bradyzoite," (Cornell). This diseases presents its self in many different ways.

This parasitic disease is having a major impact on marine life near shore lines. The rain washes the oocytes into river and streams that lead to the ocean. Once this disease enters the water there is no way of extracting it.The Hawaiian monk seals are endangered with only about 1,600 left on Earth. Many deaths of the seals have been linked back to this disease. U.S. National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration researchers have found that it is mainly female seals. The fact that it is effects mainly females this threatens their ability to reproduce. This disease manifests itself varies widely across species. In monk seals, toxoplasma gondii can weaken the immune system and cause vital organ failure. In sea otters, the disease can lead to brain infections that swiftly kill the host.These researchers believe this is just the tip of the iceberg for threats against marine life. The people that live among these shorelines are begging people to keep the stray cat population under control.