What is a common intermediate host for Toxoplasma gondii?

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite with a complex life cycle that involves both definitive and intermediate hosts. The definitive host, where the parasite undergoes sexual reproduction, is typically the cat. Intermediate hosts, where the parasite can reproduce asexually, include a variety of warm-blooded animals.

Cats are significant in the life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii because they shed oocysts in their feces, which can then infect other intermediate hosts, including humans. This means that while cats are not the intermediate hosts themselves, they play a crucial role in the transmission of the parasite to these hosts.

In contrast, other animals like dogs, cows, and birds do not serve as definitive hosts or do not have the same connection to the life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii that cats do. Therefore, while other animals can be hosts, the unique role of cats in the lifecycle of Toxoplasma gondii underscores their importance in understanding the transmission dynamics of this parasite.