A.S.A.P.

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infection which infests all mammalian and avian species. However, cats are the only animals which shed the parasite in their faeces. 1. How do cats get toxoplasmosis? From eating an infected animal, such as a mouse or bird, or from infected raw meat. Most cats will be asymptomatic, get over the infection and become immune to subsequent infection. Even if they exhibit symptoms such as blood-tinged diarrhoea, fever, hepatitis or pneumonia, they usually recover without intervention and develop immunity. 2. How do people get toxoplasmosis? People become infected from eating the oocytes of the Toxoplasmosis gondii parasite, either from raw or under-cooked meat, from infected soil on unwashed fruit or vegetables, or from infected cat faeces. The oocytes must be ingested by the person for the clinical condition to develop: often people have been exposed to oocytes and have already developed resistance without realizing it. People who do get clinically ill are usually those with compromised immune systems. 3. Should a pregnant woman have her cat tested for toxoplasmosis? If the cat hunts, is a recent stray, has feline immuno-deficiency virus (FIV) or has been ill – yes! Your vet can test a faecal sample for infected organisms (although by the time the results are back the cat may no longer be a source of infection). A blood test will only show if the cat has been infected at some stage in its life. A cat sheds infected faeces only after it has been infected for the first time, ie for 2 – 20 days of its lifespan. Even if the faeces are infected, a pregnant woman would have to ingest some (and the faeces only become infected when they have been eliminated from the cat’s body for over 24 hours) in order to become infected herself. The bottom line is that a healthy cat is very unlikely to be a source of infection: cats in poor health, especially those with FIV, are more suspect. 4. Why is it a problem if a pregnant woman becomes infected? Toxoplasmosis can result in transplacental infection of the foetus if a woman becomes infected for the first time whilst pregnant. If the woman has developed immunity before pregnancy the foetus is not at risk. 5. Should a pregnant woman be tested for toxoplasmosis? Blood and urine samples from pregnant women in Greece are routinely screened for toxoplasmosis using immunoserological techniques. Most adult humans are immune! 6. Is it safe for a pregnant woman to own a cat? Of course it is: simply follow sensible rules of hygiene. Normal petting of a cat isn’t a problem, but it is always a good idea to wash your hands after handling a pet and before eating or preparing food. Toxoplasmosis can not be caught from a cat’s urine, saliva or hair. Cats are very clean animals and are unlikely to have any faeces on their fur: even if they do, all you need to do is wash your hands! 7. Should a pregnant woman clean the litter tray? If someone else can do it, fine! If not, just take sensible precautions – wear gloves, clean out the tray at least once a day using a scoop and scrub the tray thoroughly once a week with detergent and hot water (preferably outdoors). Disinfectants shouldn’t be used for cleaning: they don’t kill parasites and are harmful to cats. 8. Can you get toxoplasmosis from a garden? Garden soil can be infected with the organism if cats deposit infected faeces in it – in the right soil conditions the organism can survive for up to 18 months. So, if you work in a garden wear gloves, wash hands thoroughly and avoid hand-to-mouth contact. Also wash garden produce thoroughly before eating. Points to remember: · To catch toxoplasmosis you must swallow the parasite: people are more likely to ingest this from under-cooked meat than from a cat’s faeces. The frequency of infection in cats is 0.9%; cows 39.7%; goats 26.4%; sheep 26.2%. · Eat meat which has been thoroughly cooked, ie with no trace of blood. · Wash you hands thoroughly after handling raw meat and clean any utensils used in the process. · Wash fruit and vegetables with liquid soap and water before eating. · Always wear gloves when working in the garden and wash your hands when finished. · Do not drink unpasteurised milk. Fresh milk should be boiled as the parasite is destroyed at temperatures above 66 C. · When cleaning the litter tray – clear faeces daily, wear gloves, use a scoop, wash your hands and gloves afterwards. · Humans and animals can’t be directly infected by cats.