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What to do if your cat has toxoplasmosis?

What to do if your cat has toxoplasmosis?

If you suspect your cat has come into contact with the parasite, then a thorough checkup at your veterinarian’s office is a good idea. You can describe your cat’s potential symptoms — such as lethargy and loss of appetite — and your vet can perform routine lab tests to confirm presence of toxoplasmosis, as explained on PetMD.

Can a feline get Toxoplasma gondii while pregnant?

Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that reproduces only in felines, can cause rare but serious complications in pregnant women, as reported by the Mayo Clinic. And the results can be scary.

What happens if a pregnant woman has toxoplasmosis?

And the results can be scary. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pregnant women who encounter toxoplasmosis for the first time may pass it on to their unborn child, leading to potential problems such as blindness, brain damage, or mental disabilities.

What kind of organism does toxoplasmosis gondii infect?

Toxoplasma gondii, the protozoal parasite responsible for causing the disease known as toxoplasmosis, is a tiny single-celled organism that can infect many different species from mice to sheep to humans.

How many people have toxoplasmosis?

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a parasite. In America, more than 60 million people are infected with the disease. Many of the people who are infected are not aware they have this single-celled parasite, as they may not show any symptoms.

How is toxoplasmosis transmitted?

Toxoplasmosis is generally transmitted through the mouth when Toxoplasma gondii oocysts or tissue cysts are accidentally eaten. Congenital transmittance from mother to fetus can also occur. Transmission may also occur during the solid organ transplant process or hematogenous stem cell transplants.

Is toxoplasmosis contagious between humans?

Toxoplasmosis is considered to be contagious between people. Generally the infectious agent may be transmitted by saliva, air, cough, fecal-oral route, surfaces, blood, needles, blood transfusions, sexual contact, mother to fetus, etc.