Toxoplasmosis

Question: What does toxoplasmosis actually 'do' to the unborn baby? I have a friend that is 8 months pregnant and cleans her own cat litter with no gloves or anything. She says because her cats are TOTALLY indoors and don't get raw meat and rarely get scraps of any kind that is fine. (apparantely toxoplasmosis is found in raw meats that transfers to the fecus). What does this actually do to the baby?

Answer: I'm not sure, but if she has had cats for most of her life, she probably has already been exposed to toxoplasmosis, and has the antibodies. This is what my Dr. told me

Question: How long can toxoplasmosis live in a cat's body? I'm prenant. We have 3 indoor cats. All have been outdoor for a period of their life. Could they aquire toxoplasmosis as a kitten and then keep it in thier body forever or does is die off eventually?

Answer: They can't keep it for longer than 2 months. Also, you can only get it from their poo, so if you don't touch that and you keep the litterbox clean, you're OK. Usually toxoplasmosis is not transmitted directly from cat to humans, but from other animals who take less good hygiene measures (like pigs). So if you eat pork -or if your cats eat pork or any oyther meat - which is not very well done, that's the danger. So bake well meat, avoid pork, feed the cats only cat food from a good scientific firm and only excellently baked meat, and you're OK. Also have a blood test for toxoplasma (IgG and IgM) to make sure you haven't got it. Cats can get it from raw meat and then their poo can be infected, so take care of the cats' diet

Question: What are the risks of getting toxoplasmosis? I'm am 14 1/2 weeks pregnant. A week ago my partner and I adopted two 8 week old kittens from the human society. I never clean the litter box, but the kittens are near me all the time. I pet them and play with them all the time. They sleep with me at night. I have quite a few scratches from them, too. I just wanted to know if being around the kittens constantly could put me at risk for contracting toxoplasmosis? Is just staying away from the litter box enough? Thanks.

Answer: No you can't get toxoplasmosis from the kittens themselves. Its only the cat poop you have to be worried about, and even then its rare as only outdoor cats who hunt mice & birds have a chance of carrying the bacteria. You are more likely to get toxoplasmosis from eating produce that hasn't been washed properly or gardening!

Question: How do i avoid getting toxoplasmosis from my kitten? I'm a little over 20 weeks pregnant and i know the negative effects of toxoplasmosis that come from my kittens feces and can get on me while i'm changing her litter. Is there anything i can do other than wash my hands constantly to prevent this? And will washing my hands all the time really help? i also just bought "litter liners" which is just like a trash bags for the litter box. i just grab the bag and tie it shut. will that help?

Answer: Your best bet is to just have someone else do it. If that's not possible then you may want to consider getting a litter pan that cleans it self. You can also try wearing latex gloves and a face mask to prevent you from breathing it in.

Question: How to Adopt a Cat With Toxoplasmosis? A cat at my local shelter has toxoplasmosis and I really want to give him a home. Is it safe to adopt him? Should I wash my hands after petting the cat? Should I wear gloves when changing the litter? If I let the cat out in the garden, do I need to wear gloves while gardening? Or, is it best not to let the cat outside and just keep him indoors?

Answer: The above two answers are correct. Here's more info: "You are at more risk of becoming infected with toxoplasmosis by handling raw meat then you'd ever be from your cat. There are some precautions though. This disease is caused by the protozoan parasite toxoplasma gondii. The cat becomes infected by eating prey that's contaminated by the parasite. Microscopic eggs (called oocysts) are shed in the infected cat's feces. This is why you've probably heard that pregnant women shouldn't clean the litter box. Toxoplasmosis can cause severe damage to the fetus. There is no cause for panic though, because once the eggs are shed in the feces it takes a couple days for them to reach the infectious stage. So prompt scooping out of the fecal waste will greatly reduce the chance of infection. To be on the safe side, pregnant women should at least wear gloves if the must clean the box. Indoor cats are at low risk for toxoplasmosis. Outdoor cats are much more likely to acquire the disease due to the hunting and ingesting of potentially infected prey. Indoor cats are at risk if you allow them to eat raw or undercooked meat. Humans are more likely to become infected by handling raw meat and then handling vegetables that are to be eaten raw. However, most adults have built up an immunity to toxoplasmosis. If you are worried, you can take your cat to the vet to be tested for toxoplasmosis." “Always scoop litter boxes twice a day. When cleaning the box, use a mild detergent and finish by rinsing very thoroughly. Never use strong-smelling pine cleansers or ammonia. If you want to disinfect the box with bleach, dilute it with water first. Rinsing the box with boiling water is also effective. With covered cat boxes, the smell can be worse, especially with high humidity, so you must be willing to clean it more.�

Question: How can I make sure I dont get toxoplasmosis during my pregnancy? my moms house has cat poo almost everywhere and the cats bring mice in all the time, the house is filthy I am pregnant, how do I keep myself safe from toxoplasmosis?

Answer: The CDC (center for disease control) web site suggests: Change the litter box daily If you own a cat. The Toxoplasma parasite does not become infectious until 1 to 5 days after it is shed in a cat's feces. If you are pregnant or immunocompromised: Avoid changing cat litter if possible. If no one else can perform the task, wear disposable gloves and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water afterwards. Keep cats indoors. Do not adopt or handle stray cats, especially kittens. Do not get a new cat while you are pregnant. Please also take into consideration that toxoplasmosis has a very long life and can live in soil and water. If you garden outside be sure to where gloves and wash your hands after as well as use safe food preparation. Some of the other poster have mentioned you should leave your mothers home. I know this sounds mean but my Father was diagnosed with toxoplasmosis when he was 7. With in a matter of mothes his perfect vision declined to almost blind. He now has to where glasses that cost about $2000 with a telescope. If leaving is not an option for you than I would suggest explaining to your mother and doctor the situations and yours concerns. YOU SHOULD NOT BE THE ONE TO CLEAN THE CAT FECIES.

Question: Is it likely that I would be infected with toxoplasmosis? I have a 3-year-old cat. It never goes out since I adopted her two and a half years ago, and I never feed her raw meat. But her toxoplasmosis antibody is positive. I'm planning to have a baby now. My toxo. test is negative. And I have to change the litter myself 'cause my husband is often on a business trip. I'd like to know whether my cat is likely to shed oozysts again. What can I do to avoid being infected?

Answer: id go get an automatic litter box but if thats not an option. just be catious. wear gloves and a mask i no its silly but you dont want anything to happen to your baby. and wash your hands after. but also have you husband do it whenever possible. maybe see if you can wait till he gets back from his trips and only do it when you have too.

Question: When changing the litterbox of a cat that has toxoplasmosis, will an ordinary medline mask protect you? What type of mask should be worn when changing the litter of a cat that has contracted toxoplasmosis? Will the ordinary MedLine Face Masks offer full protection, or is something stronger needed, like a carbon filter mask? That answer hasn't assuaged my inquisition. :/

Answer: IF the cat does have it, he can only spread it for two weeks, after that he's not contagious anymore. The toxo is in the poop. Not touching the poop is all it takes, but really just washing your hands well with soap and water will eliminate the problem. Masks are useless since it's not something you're going to be breathing in. Toxo has to be transmitted hand to mouth. So washing hands will fix it. You can also use gloves as well. But are you really at risk? A lot of people are immune because they were exposed to toxo prior to this--most humans catch it from handling raw meat. If you're immune it'll show up in a simple blood test your doctor can give you.

Question: Can you get toxoplasmosis from a cat that has poop on her body? Help! I'm 7 weeks pregnant and my husband has been changing the cat litter for me. Today, my cat curled up on my chest and I smelled a foul smell- like poop! I pushed her off and changed my shirt and bathed. Can I get toxoplasmosis from this?

Answer: Toxo. Is Passed when you actually touch the feces and then touch the inside of your mouth Gross i know but its the truth thats why they tell you to be careful with kids to because they will pick it up and you know Ewww You should be fine also not all cats have Toxo. So you are prob. safe i actually changed my cats box when i was preggo. but thats just because i knew the risks, Anyway enjoy the next 9 mo being off of box duty !!!

Question: Can I get toxoplasmosis from a newborn kitten? I am pregnant and taking care of a newborn kitten right now. I think it's mother was killed. The kitten still has it's eyes shut. I have to wipe it's bottom to get it to pee and poop. I do this with a wet cotton ball, then dispose of everything and wash my hands afterwards. Am I at risk for toxoplasmosis?

Answer: A kitten can have the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii because it is transmitted from mother to fetus. I would wear gloves and wash hands thoroughly after handling the kitten.

Question: toxoplasmosis?? what are the chances of contracting toxoplasmosis from my house bound cat?? im 20 weeks pregnant an have heard so many stories, I'm worried. But my cat dont leave the house an we dont have mice or rats?? is there still a chance he might have it?

Answer: cats don't continuously shed this in their feces. when a cat is infected, they pass the eggs along in their poo, but they only shed the parasite eggs thru their feces for about 2 wks after they've become infected with it, then never again. (they get it from infected poo or prey.) and even once they pass it, it takes in general two-three days of the eggs sitting for them to break open and become infective. so you'd have to somehow ingest the eggs in the cat feces during those two weeks, after letting them sit in the litter box for a few days in order to become infected yourself. (you can't pick it up by petting the cat, just by eating the cat poo...so unless your cat rolls around in its litter box regularly, i doubt that would become an issue.) it's estimated that over 50% of the world's population has this in their system already. like chicken pox, once you get it, you can't get it again...it just lies dormant and causes no problem after that. and like someone else mentioned, if you already have it in your system when you get pregnant, it causes no health risks whatsoever to the fetus. but again like chickenpox, if you do get it after you become pregnant, it can cause health problems with the baby. however, remember that you have to pick it up during the two wks it was passed along in the cat litter in order to get it yourself. that's a pretty small risk, considering your cat is an indoor cat. to minimize the risk even further, use gloves and a face mask when cleaning the litter box, and wash well afterwards. even better is to have someone else change it while you're pregnant. (hey, if it gets you out of the nasty job for a few more months, let them take over that chore, lol.) if it is scooped every day, the eggs won't have enough time to break open and become infective. as for being tested, yes, you can have bloodwork done to see if you've been exposed to it...BUT that doesn't tell you WHEN you were exposed. so you still wouldn't know if you'd picked it up before being pregnant (a safe time for the fetus) or after conceiving (a risky time for the baby), so there is absolutely no point in driving yourself nuts with that worry in the event it came back positive. i had six cats when i was pregnant, and no issues whatsoever, neither while pregnant nor after my daughter was born. don't listen to those who tell you to get rid of the cat. it's not necessary as long as you use common sense and practice good hygiene.

Question: Can a Cat have Toxoplasmosis if it hasn't caught any birds / mice in last 8 months? The cat has been an indoor cat for last 8 months, does this mean it couldn't have toxoplasmosis? It eats "Natures Best" dry and wet food, and sometimes "High Life". What do you think the chances it has Toxo? P.S I am asking because I am 12 weeks pregnant and worried because my friends cat, who I have described scratched me. I have been told you can't get Toxo from a scratch anyway, but it still scares me, I was just wondering of the chances of the cat having Toxo in the first place. Hi Loz! Hello again! Yeah, I am just totally paranoid, and you have reasured me, you really have. It's just it's all I can think of.....thanks for all your help, you must think I am mad, but it's just I am so worried about my unborn baby. xx Oh - I forgot to say, it's about 9 / 10 months old.

Answer: The chances of it getting toxo from commercial catfood is pretty well zero- it is all processed, and it doesn't take terribly high temperatures to kill the organism. How old is the cat? If is adult and was an outdoor cat and a hunter prior to this, then it could have toxoplasmosis. However, as an adult it is very unlikely to be shedding oocysts in its faeces. ADD: Okay, if it's only 9/10 months old, and has always been an indoor cat, it would be very, very unlikely to have toxo!! Is this still about your neighbour's cat and your cat scratch? I know you must be stressed, but please trust me when I say that you cannot be infected via a cat scratch! Like I said to you before, if you've not already had past exposure to toxoplasma, you're far more likely to be infected by eating undercooked meat or by working in the garden and not washing your hands well afterwards than you are by contact with a cat! I wish I could do more to reassure you! And actually Leu, it is you who is incorrect. Like any other animal, cats may have toxoplasma tissue cysts that remain dormant. If anything occurs to compromise the cat's immunity, the infection can be 'reactivated'. Even with subclinical infection (the main form in cats- clinical illness is rare) antibody titres persist for years following infection.

Question: Can dog's feces transmitting the toxoplasmosis to human? I am pregnant and have a dog. I heard dogs can transmiting toxoplasmosis to human by their feces same as cat's. Please share your experience and knowledge with me. Thanks I'm so worried about. Thank you.

Answer: As far as I know it is only cat and even that can be prevented with a medical face mask and rubber cloves while cleaning but just to be sure call and talk to your vet to make sure.

Question: toxoplasmosis for a cat exclusively raised indoors? If you have a cat that never goes outdoors, is there a chance that the cat can still have toxoplasmosis? Is there any other way to get it other than (from what I understand) eating mice?

Answer: Only if they eat raw meat (whether that is by eating a mouse or rat that has come indoors or being fed raw meat by their owner). I recommend this article as a good, no nonsense guide to toxoplasmosis http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/pregna… "only cats who ingest tissue cysts acquire infection. 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. In addition, only after a cat is first exposed to T. gondii does he typically excrete oocysts, and he does so for only two weeks. An outdoor hunting cat is often exposed to the disease as a kitten and is, therefore, less likely to transmit the infection as he ages."

Question: Toxoplasmosis and what I can do to prevent it? I live with two cats. I'm about 6weeks+ along and my mother is trying to scare me with the idea of getting toxoplasmosis. I've lived with cats all my life and my boyfriend changes the cat litter for me. I'm just very concerned about getting it. I always make sure to keep my hands clean and wash the sheets if they smell like cat litter. We try to keep the cats out of the room when we sleep. I'm just very concerned about this. What can I do to prevent this from happening?

Answer: You are more likely to get toxoplasmosis from undercooked beef. Also..if your cats are indoors, it's likely that they are not even carriers of the parasite. You'll be fine..your Mom is being over protective I also wanted to add that the danger is for those women who are newly infected. If you have been around cats your whole life...you most likely have already contracted it a long time ago and were never aware of it.

Question: Can I catch Toxoplasmosis from a Cat Scratch? Are there any vets or doctors out there? I am 12 weeks pregnant, and yesterday my friends cat scratched me... It was more like a puncture wound. Anyway, I am going out of my mind, worrying about Toxoplasmosis which can cause miscarriage and still birth. I called the Vets, who said, you have to "eat" the parasite and it can't be transmitted via a scratch. But,then the doctor called me back to say it IS possible to catch it, and to come in for a blood test! I am so scared, can any one advise?

Answer: The vet is absolutely right- you cannot catch Toxoplasmosis from a cat scratch! On the whole, vets know a lot more about zoonotic disease (disease transmissible from animals to humans) than doctors do, as we have to study it through our entire course! Toxoplasma infection occurs, as the vet told you, by accidental ingestion of the parasite. In children, this occurs most commonly by ingesting oocysts (the 'eggs' of the parasite). As an adult, you are far more likely to become infected by eating undercooked meat, especially lamb products. If you've ever owned cats for any period of time or ever played in the dirt or sandpit as a child, you've probably already been exposed in any case, which means that there is pretty much zero risk to your baby. The blood test will let you know if you've already got antibodies against toxoplasmosis. There are a few general precautions you can take- * If you do any gardening, make sure you wear gloves and wash your hands well after. * Rinse any fresh vegetables, etc., thoroughly * Don't eat any meat unless well cooked I hope that's set your mind at rest.