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A recent episode of Sunday on channel Seven aired a story about toxoplasmosis and I don't think that it really gave a true reflection on what the true facts are about toxoplasmosis. I believe that the story was inspired by this article in The Conversation. It should be noted that the author of this article begins the article by stating:
"I should admit straight up that I’m no fan of cats"
So, there is a distinct bias in the article and still he concludes that there is no link between cat ownership and infection with toxoplasmosis.
The only people that need to be concerned about toxoplasmosis are pregnant women (because the babies can become infected and it can cause developmental defects) and immunosuppressed people (for example people with AIDs or people receiving chemotherapy). People with a normal immune system just have a short-lived flu-like illness and then recover.
How can I prevent toxoplasmosis?
- Change litter trays daily (the oocysts need about 48 hours to reach a stage where they can infect people)
- Pregnant woman and immunocompromised people should wear gloves when cleaning out litter trays and wash their hands after cleaning them out.
- Wash your hands with soap after handling raw meat
- Don't eat undercooked meat
- If you have a sand pit keep it covered as cats will use it as a litter tray
- Wear gloves while gardening
Most people become infected from eating infected meat rather than from cats. There is no need to get rid of your cat!
