Other animals can transmit toxoplasmosis Cats get toxoplasmosis from eating contaminated raw meat, birds, mice, or soil. Understanding the disease can make you feel safer An understanding of the life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii T.
How humans get toxoplasmosis Humans most commonly contract the disease from the consumption of undercooked meat, which contains T. The likelihood of contracting toxoplasmosis Because it's difficult for cats to transmit toxoplasmosis directly to their caregivers, a pregnant woman is generally unlikely to contract the disease from her pet cat. Several factors keep the chance of such transmission low.
Only cats who ingest tissue cysts get infected. Within the feline population, this would be limited to outdoor cats who hunt and eat rodents, as well as cats who are fed raw meat by their owners.
Typically a cat only excretes oocystsis when she is first exposed to T. An outdoor hunting cat is often exposed to the disease as a kitten and is, therefore, less likely to transmit the infection as she ages. Because oocysts only become infective after one to five days, exposure to the disease is unlikely as long as you clean the cat's litter box daily.
Since oocysts are transmitted by ingestion, in order to contract toxoplasmosis, a woman would have to make contact with contaminated feces in the litter box and then, without washing her hands, touch her mouth or otherwise transmit the contaminated fecal matter to her digestive system. Neither is necessary. Rather than resorting to extreme and unnecessary measures, taking the time to gain a better understanding of toxoplasmosis as well as sensible prevention methods can allay fears of contracting congenital toxoplasmosis from your companion.
What is Toxoplasmosis? Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a microscopic parasite called Toxoplasma gondii T. Many warm-blooded animals, including livestock, birds, humans, and most pets, can become infected. Infection with the parasite is relatively common over 60 million people in the U. In humans, toxoplasmosis can cause severe illness in infants infected before birth or in people with a weakened immune system. Disease Transmission It is very unlikely that your cat will give you toxoplasmosis.
According the the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you have a much higher likelihood of contracting the disease from eating raw meat or from gardening.
There are three ways that people become infected with T. Although the disease is capable of being transmitted via contact with cat feces, several factors keep the chance of such transmission low. Avoiding Toxoplasmosis The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides the following tips to prevent infection:.
Giving up your cat is an an extreme and unnecessary precaution. Do not adopt stray or young cats. Stray cats are exposed to Toxoplasmosis more often by eating small animals or having a weakened immune system. Kittens are also prone to infection due to their weaker immune systems. So I can pet my cat and not be infected?
I have a cat and a dog. Can I get Toxoplasmosis from my dog? Is it possible to already have been exposed to Toxoplasmosis? Will I be okay? Search Search for:. Follow Us! If you're pregnant and you test positive for toxoplasmosis, the GP can refer you for more tests to see if your baby has been infected. This is very rare. The baby charity Tommy's has more advice on toxoplasmosis and pregnancy. The parasite that causes toxoplasmosis is found in the poo of infected cats, and in infected meat.
You can also catch it from soil that's been contaminated by cat poo.
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