Toxoplasma gondii
Toxoplasma gondii
This parasite is mostly a concern for cat owners. The cats themselves are usually not clinically affected by Toxoplasma but act as carriers for this protozoan. Cysts are only shed intermittently in the feces and diagnosis is difficult.
The importance of this parasite lies in the human hazards associated with it. The most important of which is prenatal infection of children leading to abnormal development of the nervous system (resulting in mental retardation). In addition, a flu-like syndrome may develop in adults exposed to Toxoplasma. These risks are also associated with infection resulting from eating undercooked meats containing Toxoplasma cysts.
Because of the difficulty of diagnosis, it is recommended that pregnant women should not change the litterbox (this job can be delegated to another family member) and that the litter be changed every day before the oocysts can become infective. If there is not a helper available, the pregnant woman should always wear plastic or rubber gloves when cleaning the litterbox. The person handling cat feces should wash his or her hands thoroughly. (Remember, pregnant women should also avoid eating rare meat and should wash their hands thoroughly after meat preparation.)
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