What is Toxoplasmosis?

If you have cats you run the risk of contracting toxoplasmosis. You can also get the disease from eating raw meat or uncooked produce that is contaminated.

Toxoplasmosis is the third contributor of death from food-borne illnesses in the United States of America, according to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 60 million men, women and children in the U.S. carry the parasite. Very few, however, display symptoms because the immune system usually prevents the parasite from causing illness. Therefore they may have no symptoms or may display symptoms that are similar to other illnesses.

Pregnant women and those with a weakened immune system, for example, people with HIV/AIDS, cancer and fetuses may become severely ill if infected. It can be fatal in some cases. In the case of pregnant women, they can pass the parasite on to their fetuses through the bloodstream.

Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a microscopic parasite, a protozoan called Toxoplasma gondii. It affects most warm blooded animals but the primary host is the felid (cat) family. The parasite can cause encephalitis, neurologic diseases and affects the heart, liver, and eyes.

The toxoplasmosis parasite grows and multiplies within a week of entering a person’s body, but it may be weeks or months before symptoms of infection appear, if at all. Once infected, the parasite remains in the body for life, usually in a latent (inactive) form that does not cause side effects or harm to the carrier. It, however, can be reactivated if the carrier becomes infected with HIV or other immune system weakening diseases.

In healthy people treatment for toxoplasmosis is not necessary. But in the case of pregnant women and HIV positive patients drugs will have to be administered to treat the parasite.

In the case of cats, an infected cat can only spread toxoplasmosis in their feces for a few weeks after they are infected with the parasite. Like humans, cats don’t display any symptoms when infected, making it difficult for humans to tell if their cats have contracted the disease. And there are not effective tests to indicate whether a cat is spreading toxoplasmosis in its feces.

Cat lovers will be relieved to know they can keep their cats after they have been infected with toxoplasmosis, according to information from the Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine. And to keep them from becoming infected with the parasite feed them dry or canned cat food and keep them indoors. Cats that are allowed outdoors should be kept off beds and furniture. Avoid handling stray cats and kittens and have your cat tested for the parasite. Have someone who is not pregnant change the cat’s litter box, or wear gloves and clean the box daily. Thoroughly wash hands with soap and warm water after handling a litter box.

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