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Toxoplasmosis is a disease considered as zoonoses (it is transmitted to humans by animals) has a high incidence worldwide and is caused by a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, this type of disease can cause asymptomatic or mild infections but can also be deadly for example in the fetus and people with compromised immune systems like HIV-infected.
The cat is the definitive host of this parasite which infected due to an intake of rodents and birds which are the intermediate hosts.
Herbivores, omnivores or carnivores, virtually all mammals are infected. Humans suffer parasite transmission mainly orally through consumption of meat, vegetables, water, eggs, milk or other contaminated food, also due to contamination of knives and other utensils and finally when handling cat feces without gloves or wash hands thoroughly.
Lifecycle of toxoplasmosis
The cat will only remove the parasite in the feces for a few weeks after being infected. Like humans, cats rarely have symptoms once in the first infection, so it is not easy for the owner of a cat knows if you have one or not. The infection goes alone. Note that the cat can infect someone ONLY ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, regularly only they can do still very young puppies.
Foods can become contaminated due to contact with insects such as flies, cockroaches, etc. they have had contact with the parasite.
A route of transmission of toxoplasmosis of most concern is maternal - fetal giving rise to congenital toxoplasmosis, transmissions are also given for organ transplants and blood transfusions.
Symptoms of toxoplasmosis
More than 80% of infections are asymptomatic causing mild symptoms after contact with the parasite as they are that usually appear 1 to 2 weeks:
- Headache
- Fever
- Muscle pain
- Sore throat
- mild illness similar to mononucleosis
- Swollen lymph nodes in the head and neck
Symptoms in people with weakened immune systems may be in addition to the above:
- Fever
- Headache
- Confusion
- Blurry vision
- seizures
Remember to go to the doctor if these symptoms show. Treated people with healthy immune systems usually recover very well, and asymptomatic persons usually do not need treatment.
Prevention of toxoplasmosis
The prevention of toxoplasmosis are very important in pregnant women and consist of general rules of hygiene to prevent transmission by contaminated food or water, not eating raw or undercooked meat including sausage, ham, chorizo, sushi, among others and properly wash the vegetables, avoid doing yard work or carry out suitable gloves and take special care and hygiene of pets for this reason should avoid contact with cat feces, ask someone which deal with cleaning the cat tray while you're pregnant and especially not handle things that have possibly been in contact with insects which may have potential exposure to cat feces. It is very easy to avoid that contagion occurs, so no need to take the cat home.
Recommendations to prevent the spread of toxoplasmosis
It is important that we all have in mind the following recommendations:
- Do not eat undercooked or raw meat.
- Wash hands after handling raw meat.
- Keep free the playgrounds of feces of dogs and cats.
- Wash hands thoroughly after being in contact with the ground possibly contaminated with animal feces.
- Wash fruits and vegetables well.
- Change tray daily.
- Wash all utensils that contact with raw meat before using them with other foods.
- Your cat properly dewormed.
- Do not let your cat out to hunt, and if you do reinforce its deworming.
For infection by cat occurs would require the following:
- It is the first time the infected cat in your life because after the first infection feline generates resistance to this parasite.
- Do not spend more than three weeks after infection.
- The droppings left in the tray more than 24 hours.
- That is caught with his bare hand.
- The mouth then touches the person without washing hands.
- That the person is not infected ever before.
Many times have already been infected, and you have not noticed because symptoms may resemble a cold. Remember that the cat is not guilty of toxoplasmosis because food can come contaminated from distribution sites. If you follow correctly, the general hygiene guidelines and recommendations will mention above you should have no problems with this type of condition.