toxoplasmosis
n. a disease caused by infection with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which invades and multiplies within the tissues of mammals and birds. For example, the parasites reproduce in the intestinal cells of cats, and the disease may be transmitted to humans through accidental ingestion (via careless handling) of cat feces. Human infection may also result from eating raw or undercooked meat or, very rarely, from blood transfusion or organ transplantation. When acquired by a pregnant woman, the parasite can be transmitted to the fetus (congenital toxoplasmosis), causing hydrocephalus, blindness, intellectual disability, and other neurological disorders.