Toxoplasma gondii and the blood-brain barrier

Virulence. 2012 Mar 1;3(2). [Epub ahead of print]

Toxoplasma gondii and the blood-brain barrier.

Feustel S, Meissner M, Liesenfeld O.

SourceInstitute for Microbiology and Hygiene; Charité Medical School; Berlin, Germany.

Abstract
Infection with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii is characterized by asymptomatic latent infection in the central nervous system and skeletal muscle tissue in the majority of immunocompentent individuals. Life-threatening reactivation of the infection in immunocompromized patients originates from rupture of Toxoplasma cysts in the brain. While major progress has been made in our understanding of the immunopathogenesis of infection the mechanism(s) of neuroinvasion of the parasite remains poorly understood. The present review presents the current understanding of blood-brain barrier (patho)physiology and the interaction of Toxoplasma gondii with cells of the blood-brain barrier.

PMID: 22460645 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]