Toxoplasmosis

Overview

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infection that you can get from cat feces raw meat and contaminated water. An estimated 1 in 6 people may be infected at any given time. So long as their immune system is healthy most will never know it. However if you have a weak immune system or if you are pregnant toxoplasmosis could cause a serious illness.

Symptoms

People who are otherwise healthy are usually not even aware they have been infected. Others may feel as if they have the flu with symptoms ranging from general aches and pains to swollen lymph glands. This can last for a month or more. Severe cases can result in damage to the brain eyes or other organs. If a pregnant woman contracts toxoplasmosis there is a 40% chance that her unborn child will also become infected and develop symptoms later in life. Fortunately such infections are not common in North America with only 1 out of 500 babies born with the infection.

Causes

A single-celled parasite called Toxoplasma gondii is responsible for this disease which you can pick up by:

  • Accidentally swallowing cat feces from an infected cat that is shedding the organism in its feces. This might happen if you were to accidentally touch your hands to your mouth after gardening cleaning a cat's litter box or touching anything that has come into contact with cat feces.
  • Eating contaminated raw or partly cooked meat especially pork lamb or venison; by touching your hands to your mouth after handling undercooked meat.
  • Contaminating food with knives utensils cutting boards and other foods that have had contact with raw meat.
  • Drinking water contaminated with Toxoplasma.
  • Receiving an infected organ transplant or blood transfusion though this is rare.

Certain people are more at risk of developing severe toxoplasmosis including:

  • Infants born to mothers who became infected with Toxoplasma for the first time during or just before pregnancy.
  • People with severely weakened immune systems including those with HIV/AIDS those undergoing certain types of chemotherapy and those who have recently received an organ transplant.

Treatment

If you suspect that you may have toxoplasmosis talk to your doctor. The results from different tests can help determine if you have toxoplasmosis and whether the infection is a recent one. Your doctor might also want you to have this test done if you are planning to become pregnant so tell him or her if you are. If the test comes back positive it means you've already been infected previously and there usually is no need to worry about passing it on to your baby. If you are already pregnant or of you have a weakened immune system medications are available to treat the infection. If you are healthy and not pregnant treatment usually is not necessary.

Prevention

There are several general sanitation and food safety steps you can take to reduce your chances of becoming infected with Toxoplasma.

  • Wear gloves when you garden or do anything outdoors that involves handling soil. Wash your hands well with soap and water after outdoor activities especially before you eat or prepare any food.
  • If you are at risk have someone who is healthy and not pregnant change your cat's litter box daily. If this is not possible wear gloves and clean the litter box every day because the parasite found in cat feces needs one or more days after being passed to become infectious. Wash your hands well with soap and water afterwards.
  • When preparing raw meat wash any cutting boards sinks knives and other utensils that might have touched the raw meat thoroughly with soap and hot water to avoid cross-contaminating other foods. Wash your hands well with soap and water after handling raw meat.
  • Cook all meat thoroughly; that is to an internal temperature of 160° F and until it is no longer pink in the center or until the juices become colorless. Do not taste meat before it is fully cooked.