In 1908, Charles Nicolle and Louis Manceaux at the Pasteur Institute were the first to describe Toxoplasma gondii in a gundi. Later that year, Alfonso Splendore identified Toxoplasma gondii in a  Brazil rabbit.

Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a single-celled parasite called T. gondii. It is the leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States.  Most people with healthy immune systems do not have symptoms if infected. In the animal kingdon, Toxoplasma gondii is known to remove rodents’ innate fear of cats.