The etiologic agent of toxoplasmosis is which type of organism?

Study for the NBEO Ocular Disease Part 1 Test. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations, to prepare for your exam! Get ready for your success!

Multiple Choice

The etiologic agent of toxoplasmosis is which type of organism?

Explanation:
Toxoplasmosis is caused by a protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. This organism is a single-celled eukaryotic parasite that lives inside host cells and forms tissue cysts; as a parasite, it fits the category of an infectious organism that requires a host to replicate. It isn’t a fungus (fungi are a different group of eukaryotes), nor a bacterium (bacteria are prokaryotic and lack a nucleus), nor a virus (viruses are acellular and require a host cell to replicate). Understanding that the agent is a protozoan parasite helps explain its intracellular lifestyle and the retinal inflammation seen in ocular toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasmosis is caused by a protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. This organism is a single-celled eukaryotic parasite that lives inside host cells and forms tissue cysts; as a parasite, it fits the category of an infectious organism that requires a host to replicate. It isn’t a fungus (fungi are a different group of eukaryotes), nor a bacterium (bacteria are prokaryotic and lack a nucleus), nor a virus (viruses are acellular and require a host cell to replicate). Understanding that the agent is a protozoan parasite helps explain its intracellular lifestyle and the retinal inflammation seen in ocular toxoplasmosis.

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