Toxoplasmosis

I keep getting questions from people about toxoplasmosis and cats. Click the post title to go to a very informative article about Toxoplasmosis gondi. Most people in developed nations get Toxoplasmosis from intermediate hosts, which can be any mammal and many environments potentially contaminated with sporulated oocysts (eggs). If a cat becomes infected, they only shed oocysts for a few days in their entire lives. Toxoplasmosis requires cats as a host to produce eggs, but cysts in intermediate hosts are the most common form of infection. Cats can become infected by hunting and eating infected mice and birds, for example.

Humans can become infected by handling or eating raw or undercooked meat and unwashed fruits and vegetables. This is the most common method of infection.

A large percentage of the human population is already infected with toxoplasmosis.

There are many things you can do to protect yourself. Keep your cat indoors. Cats who live their entire lives indoors, who do not hunt mice and birds, likely will not become infected. Keep litterboxes clean and your yard free of poop. Keep rodent populations under control. Take great care when handling uncooked meat products and cook meat products thoroughly. Wash your hands after handling meat, vegetables and fruits. Do not feed your pets raw or undercooked meat. Do not drink unpasteurized milk from cows or goats. These are just a few of the precautions, suggested in the article, you can take if you are concerned about toxoplasmosis.

Remember, there are multiple intermediate hosts, including humans. And, I was surprised to learn such a large percentage of the human population is already infected. You hear about the cat in relation to toxoplasmosis because it is the one host that sheds eggs from the feces, but only for a few days in their entire lives, if they become infected. You are far more likely to get toxoplasmosis, in this country, from handling meat or vegetables or hanging out with farm animals.