About 2 billion people worldwide — including roughly 60 million in the United States — are estimated to carry Toxoplasma gondii, which spreads through cat feces, raw or undercooked meat, contaminated water, and mother-to-fetus transmission.
No cure or commercial vaccine exists, and current drugs only limit flare-ups; severe cases can damage the eyes, brain, and nervous system, while congenital infections can leave lifelong visual and neurologic impairment.
Poorer populations in the global south bear a disproportionate burden, the researchers say, because disability, repeated medical care, and lost income can deepen a multigenerational poverty trap.
With two billion people infected, why is this brain-altering parasite only now being considered a 'neglected' disease?
This common parasite boosts risk-taking and schizophrenia. Is its influence on our behavior a hidden public health crisis?
With new mRNA technology, should we vaccinate humans, or is targeting cats and livestock the faster way to stop the parasite?
Toxoplasmosis: The Overlooked Global Threat and the Urgent Case for Neglected Tropical Disease Status
Overview
This report highlights the urgent call from experts for the World Health Organization to officially recognize toxoplasmosis as a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD). Such recognition could unlock crucial global research funding and help integrate targeted prevention strategies into existing health systems. Toxoplasmosis, which can cause severe outcomes like blindness, especially harms vulnerable populations who often lack access to clean water, safe food, and prenatal care. The report explains that diseases granted NTD status have seen rapid improvements in health outcomes, showing that formal recognition provides a clear and equitable path to reduce this preventable global health burden.