Podcast

Lifting the veil off a strange parasite

While Toxoplasma causes long-lasting infections that resist treatment, research on this neglected parasite promises to unveil new ways to treat malaria. But there is more to this microbe than meets the eye. Listen to our podcast to find out.

References:

1. General introduction

2. TORCH member

3. CDC assigned category NPI

4. Early research and establishment as parasite: Ferguson, David JP. “Toxoplasma gondii: 1908-2008, homage to Nicolle, Manceaux and Splendore.” Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 104.2 (2009): 133-148.

5. Use of the Sabin-Feldman test to find Toxoplasma infections worldwide

6. The life cycle of Toxoplasma

7. Toxoplasmosis as zoonosis

8. Studies in India to measure Toxoplasma infection

9. Concerns about sexual transmission of Toxoplasma (here and here)

10. Malaria in India (Searo, NCBI, NCBI, WHO)

11. Resistance of malaria to standard medication

12. Whitehead Institute’s use of CRISPR on Toxoplasma

13. Apicomplexans

14. Crippling host invasion protein CLAMP (here and here)

15. Aid to research on inflammation

16. No obvious symptoms of Toxoplasma infection in otherwise healthy people

17. Eye infections by Toxoplasma

18. Toxoplasma and neurological disorders (here and here)

19. Immunosuppression by HIV or by medical treatments, leading to reactivation of Toxoplasma (here and here )

20. Toxoplasmosis in organ transplant recipients

21. Organ transplantation related diseases (here and here)

22. Anti-parasitic drugs to destroy active parasites

23. Infection in women passing to foetus

24. Spiramycin therapy

25. CDC recommendations (here and here)

26. Autophagy (here and here)

27. Interfering with autophagy damages and destroys parasites (here and here)

Acknowledgement:  This podcast has been narrated by Abhishek Chari and Shruti Muralidhar. While the script was written by Chari, the podcast was reviewed by Shalini Rao, who provided valuable suggestions.

Also Read