What exactly is Toxoplasma gondii?

Question

I didn't get my teacher explaining it...

Who does it effect? What IS it?

What are the symptoms?

Help?

I have done searches... I just don't get what it means.

Answer 1

It's a protozoan (one celled) parasite that infects warm blooded creatures, predominatly in cats.  

Have you ever heard that a pregnant woman should avoid cats or not change the cat litter? That's because it's a common form of transmission of the parasite. The parasite probably wouldn't hurt the healthy mother but would damage the unborn child.