Dear Doctors: My fiance and I adopted a cat, and his mom is insisting that we should give it again. She says you may get toxoplasmosis from having a cat in the home, and if I get pregnant, I’ll give it to the child. Is that basically true? What is toxoplasmosis?
Dear Reader: Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic an infection brought on by Toxoplasma gondii. It’s a single-celled organism discovered all through the world. In wholesome folks, the immune system prevents the parasite from inflicting sickness, and even many signs. When signs do happen, they embody swollen glands, fever, pores and skin rash and muscle aches.
Infection in folks with weakened immune methods is extra severe. It can result in eye illness that may have an effect on imaginative and prescient, lung an infection that may intrude with respiration and irritation of the mind. Known as encephalitis, it could actually trigger psychological lapses and confusion, muscle weak point, poor coordination and seizures.
Infection with Toxoplasma gondii can happen in quite a lot of methods. The commonest is by consuming undercooked meat or shellfish which were contaminated with the parasite. Pork, lamb, venison, mussels, oysters and clams are the extra frequent vectors. Not washing your arms completely after dealing with contaminated uncooked meat, utilizing contaminated utensils in meals preparation, and consuming or in any other case ingesting contaminated water or different liquids may also unfold the parasite.
When it involves cats, your future mother-in-law is just partially appropriate. First and foremost, the cat itself have to be contaminated with the parasite. When a cat does turn out to be contaminated, it sheds the eggs of the parasite for about 10 days after preliminary publicity. This is the interval of highest threat. After that, there isn’t a additional vital shedding.
The presence of a cat in the home doesn’t mechanically imply you’ll contract toxoplasmosis. To turn out to be contaminated your self, you should in some way ingest an contaminated cat’s feces whereas it’s actively shedding parasite eggs. This is feasible if you happen to don’t wash your arms after cleansing a litter field, or unintentionally ingest something that met with contaminated cat feces. Toxoplasmosis will not be transmitted by way of the pores and skin.
Pregnant girls who turn out to be contaminated have a small threat of passing the parasite alongside to their fetus. This may cause a spread of bodily issues for the child, and in some instances can result in untimely start. It is uncommon however potential for this sort of an infection to trigger a miscarriage. If the mom turns into contaminated early in her being pregnant, it’s much less more likely to unfold to the child. If an infection does occur at the moment, issues could be extra extreme.
A blood take a look at can reveal whether or not a cat has antibodies to the parasite. Very excessive ranges of antibodies point out a present an infection. When toxoplasmosis is suspected in a cat, it’s normally handled with a course of antibiotics. Diagnosis in people additionally focuses on the detection of antibodies. Treatment in people is with an antiparasitic remedy. If you’re involved about potential an infection, you’ll be able to prepare for checks for your self, your fiance and your cat.
Eve Glazier, M.D., MBA, is an internist and affiliate professor of drugs at UCLA Health. Elizabeth Ko, M.D., is an internist and assistant professor of drugs at UCLA Health.
