It is unlikely that you would be exposed to the parasite by touching an infected cat because cats usually do not carry the parasite on their fur. In addition, cats kept indoors (that do not hunt prey or are not fed raw meat) are not likely to be infected with Toxoplasma.
If you do have a cat who goes outdoors or eats prey, have someone else take over daily cleaning the litter box. This will keep you away from any cat feces. If you have an indoor cat who only eats cat food and doesn't have contact with outside animals, your risk of toxoplasmosis is very low.
T. gondii infects essentially all cats that spend any time outdoors. Cats get this parasite by eating small animals or raw meat that's infected.
The most common symptoms of toxoplasmosis include fever, loss of appetite, and lethargy. Other symptoms may occur depending upon whether the infection is acute or chronic, and the location of the parasite in the body.
Toxoplasmosis is an infection you can get from eating undercooked meat or touching cat poop or a litter box.
It's unlikely that your cat will give you toxoplasmosis. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "people are more likely to get [toxoplasmosis] from eating raw meat or from gardening."
The prevalence of oocyst shedding in cats is very low (0-1%), even though at least 15-40% of cats have been infected with Toxoplasma at some point. This means very few cats at any one time are actually able to pass their infection on to people.
Summary. Adults can become infected after by eating raw or undercooked meat infected with Toxoplasma gondii tissue cysts. People can only become infected with Toxoplasma gondii parasites through contact with infected animal faeces (usually cat faeces).
Many pet cats will never be exposed to Toxoplasma and cannot pass the infection on to humans. Even if a cat does become infected with Toxoplasma, it will only shed the oocysts or eggs in its feces for approximately ten days after initial exposure.
Cats get Toxoplasma infection by eating infected rodents, birds or other small animals, or anything contaminated with feces from another cat that is shedding the microscopic parasite in its feces. After a cat has been infected, it can shed the parasite for up to two weeks.
The Toxoplasma parasite does not become infectious until 1 to 5 days after it is shed in a cat's feces. Wash hands with soap and water after cleaning out a cat's litter box. Teach children the importance of washing hands to prevent infection.
Cats can sometimes carry germs that can make people sick, even when they appear clean and healthy. Visit your veterinarian for routine care to keep your cat healthy and to prevent infectious diseases.
In Australia, primary infection with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy is rare Gilbert 2002 although it is estimated that between 60% and 80% of Australians are non-immune (Pappas et al 2009).
Pregnant women should, when possible, have someone else clean their cat's litter box. That's because cats can have an infection called toxoplasmosis (tok-so-plaz-MOE-sis).
How is toxoplasmosis diagnosed? A blood test before or during pregnancy can determine if you have been exposed to the toxoplasma gondii parasite. If you are infected, another type of test can determine whether your baby is infected. In addition, fetal ultrasounds can determine if your baby's organs are damaged.
Toxoplasma is shed in the feces of infected cats. Cats become infected with Toxoplasma by eating anything contaminated by feces from other infected cats. They can also become infected by eating rodents, birds or other small warm-blooded animals infected with Toxoplasma.
Symptoms of toxoplasmosis include fever, swollen glands and muscle aches. Most people who become infected with Toxoplasma have no symptoms. If people develop symptoms, they usually begin 1 to 3 weeks after being exposed to the parasite. Symptoms usually last for 2 to 4 weeks.
The diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is typically made by serologic testing. A test that measures immunoglobulin G (IgG) is used to determine if a person has been infected.
People who should avoid close contact with cats include: Very young children. Pregnant women.
It is extremely unlikely that you would pick up toxoplasmosis by petting your cat or being scratched or bitten by your cat, because the organism is not spread by the fur or saliva. You CAN, however, pick up toxoplasmosis by eating undercooked infected meat, particularly lamb and pork.
People can be infected by: Accidental ingestion of oocysts after cleaning a cat's litter box when the cat has shed Toxoplasma in its feces. Accidental ingestion of oocysts after touching or ingesting anything that has come into contact with a cat's feces that contain Toxoplasma.
gondii was observed in older animals as compared with younger ones. Regarding sex, just two studies reported a significant difference, with male cats showing a higher prevalence rate of toxoplasmosis than females (Farhang 2010; Raeghi & Sedeghi 2011).
People at risk include those living with HIV/AIDS, people receiving cancer treatment and people with a transplanted organ. In addition to serious eye disease, toxoplasmosis can cause severe lung or brain disease for a person with weakened immunity. Rarely, the infection can show up in other tissues throughout the body.
A total of 5082 deaths were observed in this cohort, which is a mortality rate of 35.8%. All-cause mortality was significantly higher in the seropositive group than in the seronegative group (50.0% vs. 30.6%; P < 0.001).