Use of molecular and ultrastructural markers to evaluate stage conversion of Toxoplasma gondii in both the intermediate and definitive host.

Toxoplasma gondii has a complex life cycle involving definite (cat) and intermediate (all warm blooded animals) hosts. This gives rise to four infectious forms each of which has a distinctive biological role. Two (tachyzoite and merozoite) are involved in propagation within a host and two (bradyzoit...