Cats, toxoplasmosis and its risk to humans

Recently enough of you have been approached by us regarding toxoplasmosis in cats and its impact on pregnancy

Toxoplasmosis is a disease that is transmitted from animals to humans and is caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. This parasite commonly attacks vertebrates, most often birds and rodents, but the ultimate host in which the parasite has the ability to reproduce is cats.

The cat may become infected by eating an infected bird, rodent, or other raw meat. The infected cat secretes toxoplasm in the faeces 2 - 3 weeks after infection of the egg. After this time, the cat ceases to be infectious, develops antibodies and secretes eggs only in the case of severe weakness in the event of severe disease. In addition, the excreted eggs need time, at least one day, to mature in order to be able to develop a parasite and become dangerous to humans. Toxoplasmosis itself rarely shows clinical signs in cats.

All animals may have infectious stages in the tissues, especially muscle tissue in the form of infectious cysts. These are a possible source of infection for a very long time, probably throughout the host's life.

Human infections with toxoplasmosis are possible in several ways:

• The main source of infection is the consumption of raw or undercooked infected meat.
• Eating poorly washed vegetables (most often from home gardens where cat feces enter the soil), working in the garden.
• Eating infected eggs and unpasteurized milk.
• Contact with infected cat feces and subsequent lack of hygiene

For a healthy person, it is a relatively easy to manage disease that either does not occur at all or has symptoms similar to influenza. Mostly mild symptoms disappear within a few days, one develops antibodies and is protected for life from every other infection with Toxoplasma gondii.

The most vulnerable group are those with weakened immune systems and unborn children. If a pregnant woman gets infected just before pregnancy or during the first trimester, abortion usually occurs. In the second trimester, various congenital defects may occur. The older the fetus is, the lower the risk of damage.

How to protect against toxoplasmosis

• Avoid eating raw or undercooked meat, eggs or unpasteurized milk.
• When eating vegetables and fruits from the garden, take care of increased hygiene, vegetables and fruits washed properly.
• Especially during pregnancy, it is not advisable to contact wild cats and smooth them. If you are considering getting a kitten, wait or prefer an older cat that has been kept exclusively in the apartment and you know what it was fed to.
• If you have a domestic cat, do not feed it with raw meat. If its food consists of granules, canned food and cooked meat, there is minimal risk of being infected with toxoplasmosis.
• Clean the cat's toilet at least once every 24 hours so that the parasite eggs do not have a chance to mature and become infectious. It is best if another family member takes care of the toilet during pregnancy.
• If you have a free-range cat, you need to increase hygiene if you have access to the kitchen or reduce it.
• Regular examination of the cat by the veterinarian and maintaining its good health.

There is no need to dispose of or avoid your cat. By simply contacting your cat, you are not at risk of transmission and infection of toxoplasmosis.

If you have any doubts, you can always bring the cat to the vet for examination. Laboratory results can help determine if your cat is at risk.

Examination of the toxoplasmosis cat

• Blood testing: Blood is examined for the presence of antibodies against toxoplasmosis. This will show whether the cat has encountered toxoplasmosis or is infected

We hope you find this information useful and wish you a pleasant time with your healthy animal!

Your doctors from PrimaVet.sk