When sheep ingest oocysts, ''T.gondii'' intiates extraintestinal replication. This process is the same for all hosts, and also occurs when carnivores ingest tissue cysts in other animals. Sporozoites (or bradyzoites, if cysts are consumed) are released in the intestine to infect the intestinal epithelium where they replicate. This produces tachyzoites, which reproduce asexually within the infected cell. When the infected cell ruptures, tachyzoites are released and disseminate via blood and lymph to infect other tissues. Tachyzoites then replicate intracellularly again and the process continues until the host becomes immune or dies. If the infected cell does not burst, tachyzoites eventually encyst as bradyzoites and persist for the life of the host. Cyst are most commonly found in the brain or skeletal muscle, and are a source of infection for carnivorous hosts. | When sheep ingest oocysts, ''T.gondii'' intiates extraintestinal replication. This process is the same for all hosts, and also occurs when carnivores ingest tissue cysts in other animals. Sporozoites (or bradyzoites, if cysts are consumed) are released in the intestine to infect the intestinal epithelium where they replicate. This produces tachyzoites, which reproduce asexually within the infected cell. When the infected cell ruptures, tachyzoites are released and disseminate via blood and lymph to infect other tissues. Tachyzoites then replicate intracellularly again and the process continues until the host becomes immune or dies. If the infected cell does not burst, tachyzoites eventually encyst as bradyzoites and persist for the life of the host. Cyst are most commonly found in the brain or skeletal muscle, and are a source of infection for carnivorous hosts. |