Toxoplasma gondii secretory proteins and their role in invasion and pathogenesis.

T. gondii is a major opportunistic pathogen chronically infecting nearly one third of the world's population. Due to the high infection and mortality rates in immunocompromised patients and newborns, the extent or magnitude of T. gondii pathogenesis is determined mainly by host-pathogen interactions. T. gondii utilizes specialized secretory proteins to modify host cellular factors and facilitate invasion and replication. This review provides update on the recent progress in this field of research with particular emphasis on the T. gondii secretory proteins and their role in invasion and pathogenesis.