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Toxoplasmosis cases declining in high-income countries
People can become infected with toxoplasmosis by eating food or drinking water contaminated with parasites shed in the faeces of infected cats.

Researchers identify changing epidemiology of this harmful foetal disease.

Human toxoplasmosis rates have been declining in high-income countries over the past six decades, according to new research.

However, an epidemiological "peak shift" - where more women contract the disease for the first time during pregnancy rather than before motherhood - can cause transient spikes in high prevalence countries.

The study by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and published in the journal Trends in Parasitology analysed six decades of data from more than a quarter of a million people from 19 countries. 

As well as highlighting the changing epidemiology of toxoplasmosis, the study also found gaps in the current understanding of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) in low- and middle-income countries, and calls for this to be addressed in future research.

It also suggests that pregnant women from countries predicted to experience a rise in cases may benefit from the introduction of temporary screening programmes and a reassessment of the cost-effectiveness of these programmes to consider related disorders.

RVC lead researcher and postdoctoral scientist Dr Gregory Milne said: “Toxoplasma causes a large public health burden, from severe congenital disease among infants, to fatal infections among people with compromised immune systems, to other more subtle changes in host behaviour. It is therefore promising news to find consistent evidence of decreases in parasite exposure in many populations and countries. 

“We show that more data are needed to assess the trajectories of exposure trends in lower-income countries. Our findings nonetheless caution against complacency: in high-prevalence countries, despite decreasing parasite exposure, cases of congenital disease may counterintuitively increase as more women acquire primary infections in pregnancy.”

Toxoplasmosis affects some 190,000 pregnancies globally every year and occurs when pregnant women become infected with the parasite T. gondii for the first time, passing the infection to the foetus. Of the 19,000 annually reported cases, three per cent of infected infants die before one month of age, sometimes before birth, and those who survive can experience issues with their vision and development.

Around one-third of the human population is thought to have been exposed to T.gondii. People can become infected by eating food or drinking water contaminated
 with parasites shed in the faeces of infected cats. 

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FIVP launches CMA remedies survey

News Story 1
 FIVP has shared a survey, inviting those working in independent practice to share their views on the CMA's proposed remedies.

The Impact Assessment will help inform the group's response to the CMA, as it prepares to submit further evidence to the Inquiry Group. FIVP will also be attending a hearing in November.

Data will be anonymised and used solely for FIVP's response to the CMA. The survey will close on Friday, 31 October 2025. 

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News Shorts
CMA to host webinar exploring provisional decisions

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is to host a webinar for veterinary professionals to explain the details of its provisional decisions, released on 15 October 2025.

The webinar will take place on Wednesday, 29 October 2025 from 1.00pm to 2.00pm.

Officials will discuss the changes which those in practice may need to make if the provisional remedies go ahead. They will also share what happens next with the investigation.

The CMA will be answering questions from the main parties of the investigation, as well as other questions submitted ahead of the webinar.

Attendees can register here before Wednesday, 29 October at 11am. Questions must be submitted before 10am on 27 October.

A recording of the webinar will be accessible after the event.