Phagocyte responses to protozoan infection and how Toxoplasma gondii meets the challenge

The presence of felines from equatorial latitudes to sub-arctic regions of the globe ensures widespread distribution of the parasite. [...]unlike closely related apicomplexans such as the Plasmodia, passage through the definitive host is not obligatory to complete the life-cycle, because T. gondii can be transmitted from one intermediate host to the next through predation and carnivorism [1]. Both human and mouse neutrophils undergo a vigorous parasite strain-independent NET response during tachyzoite co-culture, and entrapment within NET could in principle interfere with the ability of T. gondii to find safe harbor within host cells. [...]a recent depletion study using a neutrophil-specific anti-Ly6G antibody failed to find a protective effect of these cells on resistance to Toxoplasma infection [31].