This National Science Week 10 – 19 August 2024 find out more about parasites that live in food and water.
Toxoplasma gondii
A recent study by Food Standards Australia New Zealand and the ANU found there were 15,500 cases of toxoplasmosis in Australia each year. Infection with Toxoplasma is very risky for pregnant women and their babies as well as people with compromised immune systems where it can cause blindness and stroke.
Find out more about toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasma gondii lifecycle
Watch our parasitologist Professor Shokoofeh Shamsi talk about toxoplasmosis
And also talk about the risk of parasites
Cryptosporidium infection
There has also been a fourfold increase in the numbers of gastro causing cryptosporidiosis with 11,747 reported cases in 2024 compared with 3716 in 2023. A quarter of all cases are in children under four and most are in Queensland, possibly because the weather is warmer and people can swim most of the year.
Find out more about cryptosporidiosis
