bundy_zigg
Well-Known Member
You've probably heard that cat feces and litter are a major source of toxoplasmosis, but that doesn't mean you need to get rid of your beloved pet. It just means you'll need to take some extra precautions. Here's the scoop on how cats can transmit the infection.
Felines are a natural host for the parasite and it reproduces in their intestines. A cat may become infected with toxoplasmosis from eating infected prey or undercooked meat, or anything contaminated by the feces of another infected cat. The parasites then form "oocysts" in the cat's gut, and the cat excretes up to 10 million oocysts daily for about a week to ten days. (Oocysts can't be seen with the naked eye, and in most cases you'll have no idea that your cat is sick.)
The oocysts first become infectious 24 hours or so after they're excreted. Under the right conditions, they can live in the soil, sand, or litter and remain infectious for up to 18 months. During this time, they spread, contaminating water, fruits, and vegetables, and infecting warm-blooded species, including humans, that ingest them.
So while it's possible to get infected with toxoplasma oocytes from direct contact with cat feces (such as handling the litter of a newly infected cat), you can also be exposed to oocytes elsewhere (for example, while gardening, eating unwashed vegetables, or drinking contaminated water).
Although only cats pass the parasite in their feces, other infected species harbor the parasite in their tissue forever, in so-called "tissue cysts." Heat will kill the parasites, but if you eat raw or undercooked meat (or touch it and then touch your mouth, nose, or eyes), you can be infected by these tissue cysts. Pork, lamb, and game meat (like venison) are major culprits, but any type of meat may be infected, so all meat should be handled and cooked appropriately.
Here are some guidelines, whether you have a cat or not:
• Cook meat well. Use a food thermometer to test the internal temperature of meat. Most meat should be cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit, or 180 degrees F in the thigh for whole poultry. If you're not actually measuring the temperature of the meat, cook it until it's no longer pink in the middle. Be sure not to sample meat you're cooking before it's done.
• Avoid salt-cured or smoked meats such as Genoa salami, Parma ham, and prosciutto unless you first heat them until they're steaming. For example, they're fine if cooked on a pizza. But if not cooked, they're risky because they might have been processed without thorough heating or with no heat at all. Also, don't eat dried meats like jerky, which may have not gotten sufficiently hot during the drying process.
• Don't drink unpasteurized milk or products made from unpasteurized milk, and avoid raw eggs.
• Wash or peel fruits and vegetables before eating.
• Wash counters, cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and your hands with hot, soapy water after preparing unwashed produce or uncooked meat, poultry, or seafood.
• Don't touch your mouth, nose, or eyes while preparing food, and always wash your hands before eating. Also make sure open sores aren't in contact with potential sources of exposure to the parasite. Wear disposable gloves if you have cuts on your hands.
• Keep flies and cockroaches away from your food.
• Avoid contaminated water. Use bottled water when camping or traveling to developing countries.
• Wear gloves while gardening, and don't touch your hands to your mouth, nose, or eyes until they've been washed thoroughly afterward.
• Avoid public sandboxes and cover your child's sandbox when it's not in use. If that's not always possible, then stay out of it as well. (Toxoplasmosis isn't likely to be harmful for your child and you can't catch it from him if he does get it, but you do need to stay away from sand that might contain infected cat feces.)
• Don't get a new kitten or cat while you're pregnant, and don't play with stray cats or kittens.
• If you have a cat, have other people empty the litter box, and have them do it daily. This reduces the risk of infection because the oocysts aren't infectious for the first 24 hours after they're excreted. If you must do the job, wear disposable gloves and wash your hands well afterward. Some even suggest wearing a mask in case any particles become airborne when the litter is stirred up, and disinfecting the box by pouring near-boiling water into it five minutes before you handle it.
• To keep your cat from becoming infected while you're pregnant, feed him only commercial cat food or well-cooked table scraps, never raw or undercooked meat. Keep him indoors so he won't hunt down potentially infected prey like mice or birds. (Remember, though, that even an indoor cat might catch a mouse.)
• Keep Kitty off of the kitchen counter and dining table.
• Though it's unlikely your cat has any parasites in his fur, it's a good idea to wash your hands after playing with him, especially before eating or otherwise putting your hands to your mouth.
Felines are a natural host for the parasite and it reproduces in their intestines. A cat may become infected with toxoplasmosis from eating infected prey or undercooked meat, or anything contaminated by the feces of another infected cat. The parasites then form "oocysts" in the cat's gut, and the cat excretes up to 10 million oocysts daily for about a week to ten days. (Oocysts can't be seen with the naked eye, and in most cases you'll have no idea that your cat is sick.)
The oocysts first become infectious 24 hours or so after they're excreted. Under the right conditions, they can live in the soil, sand, or litter and remain infectious for up to 18 months. During this time, they spread, contaminating water, fruits, and vegetables, and infecting warm-blooded species, including humans, that ingest them.
So while it's possible to get infected with toxoplasma oocytes from direct contact with cat feces (such as handling the litter of a newly infected cat), you can also be exposed to oocytes elsewhere (for example, while gardening, eating unwashed vegetables, or drinking contaminated water).
Although only cats pass the parasite in their feces, other infected species harbor the parasite in their tissue forever, in so-called "tissue cysts." Heat will kill the parasites, but if you eat raw or undercooked meat (or touch it and then touch your mouth, nose, or eyes), you can be infected by these tissue cysts. Pork, lamb, and game meat (like venison) are major culprits, but any type of meat may be infected, so all meat should be handled and cooked appropriately.
Here are some guidelines, whether you have a cat or not:
• Cook meat well. Use a food thermometer to test the internal temperature of meat. Most meat should be cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit, or 180 degrees F in the thigh for whole poultry. If you're not actually measuring the temperature of the meat, cook it until it's no longer pink in the middle. Be sure not to sample meat you're cooking before it's done.
• Avoid salt-cured or smoked meats such as Genoa salami, Parma ham, and prosciutto unless you first heat them until they're steaming. For example, they're fine if cooked on a pizza. But if not cooked, they're risky because they might have been processed without thorough heating or with no heat at all. Also, don't eat dried meats like jerky, which may have not gotten sufficiently hot during the drying process.
• Don't drink unpasteurized milk or products made from unpasteurized milk, and avoid raw eggs.
• Wash or peel fruits and vegetables before eating.
• Wash counters, cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and your hands with hot, soapy water after preparing unwashed produce or uncooked meat, poultry, or seafood.
• Don't touch your mouth, nose, or eyes while preparing food, and always wash your hands before eating. Also make sure open sores aren't in contact with potential sources of exposure to the parasite. Wear disposable gloves if you have cuts on your hands.
• Keep flies and cockroaches away from your food.
• Avoid contaminated water. Use bottled water when camping or traveling to developing countries.
• Wear gloves while gardening, and don't touch your hands to your mouth, nose, or eyes until they've been washed thoroughly afterward.
• Avoid public sandboxes and cover your child's sandbox when it's not in use. If that's not always possible, then stay out of it as well. (Toxoplasmosis isn't likely to be harmful for your child and you can't catch it from him if he does get it, but you do need to stay away from sand that might contain infected cat feces.)
• Don't get a new kitten or cat while you're pregnant, and don't play with stray cats or kittens.
• If you have a cat, have other people empty the litter box, and have them do it daily. This reduces the risk of infection because the oocysts aren't infectious for the first 24 hours after they're excreted. If you must do the job, wear disposable gloves and wash your hands well afterward. Some even suggest wearing a mask in case any particles become airborne when the litter is stirred up, and disinfecting the box by pouring near-boiling water into it five minutes before you handle it.
• To keep your cat from becoming infected while you're pregnant, feed him only commercial cat food or well-cooked table scraps, never raw or undercooked meat. Keep him indoors so he won't hunt down potentially infected prey like mice or birds. (Remember, though, that even an indoor cat might catch a mouse.)
• Keep Kitty off of the kitchen counter and dining table.
• Though it's unlikely your cat has any parasites in his fur, it's a good idea to wash your hands after playing with him, especially before eating or otherwise putting your hands to your mouth.
