Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Cats who are infected with Toxoplasma usually do not show any clin-
ical signs and are healthy, although a cat who is also infected with FeLV
or FIV is more likely to become sick. If a cat develops Toxoplasmosis, the
signs of illness can be:
• Lethargy
• Anorexia
•Fever
•
Diarrhea
•
Pneumonia
•
Hepatitis
•
Uveitis (inflammation of the eye)
•
Neurological disease
A blood test that measures antibodies to Toxoplasma is used to diag-
nose the disease in cats. Testing for two different antibodies (Ig G and
Ig M) a few weeks apart and finding rising titers is the best way to make
an accurate diagnosis.
How Humans Are Infected
Humans can become infected if they touch an oocyst, don't wash their
hands and then touch their mouths. Handling or eating raw meat or
drinking unpasteurized dairy products can also expose people to the
parasite. Healthy humans who are exposed to Toxoplasma may suffer a
brief illness with fever, muscle pain, enlarged lymph nodes, anorexia and
sore throat. People who have compromised immune systems—such as
organ transplant recipients and AIDS patients—need to be as careful as
pregnant women to prevent infection.
There are many precautions that can be taken to prevent infection:
•
Wear rubber gloves and wash hands thoroughly after outdoor
gardening.
•
Cover up children's sandboxes when not in use to prevent cats
from using them as litter boxes and depositing oocysts.
•
Empty litter boxes daily so that oocysts will not have the
opportunity to develop to the infective stage.Wear rubber
gloves for this job or have another family member do it.
