The intermediate host for Toxoplasma gondii is almost any other mammal or bird.

The intermediate host for Toxoplasma gondii is almost any other mammal or bird.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only rodents
• D. Only birds

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is the host roles in Toxoplasma gondii. The parasite completes sexual reproduction only in cats (the definitive host), but a very broad range of warm-blooded animals serves as intermediate hosts, where the parasite reproduces asexually and forms tissue cysts. Because almost any mammal or bird can harbor tissue cysts after exposure, the intermediate host range is wide, including humans, livestock, rodents, and many bird species. This broad susceptibility is why the statement is true: the intermediate host is almost any other mammal or bird.

The main idea here is the host roles in Toxoplasma gondii. The parasite completes sexual reproduction only in cats (the definitive host), but a very broad range of warm-blooded animals serves as intermediate hosts, where the parasite reproduces asexually and forms tissue cysts. Because almost any mammal or bird can harbor tissue cysts after exposure, the intermediate host range is wide, including humans, livestock, rodents, and many bird species. This broad susceptibility is why the statement is true: the intermediate host is almost any other mammal or bird.