What Is Toxoplasma and Do I Have It? A UK Guide for Cat Owners

Toxoplasma gondii is a microscopic parasite that feeds on its host’s body once it gets inside. Toxoplasmosis is actually a common infection across the globe and many people who have it never even know.

Nevertheless, it is something that most people don’t want to get. And there is a common fear linking it to cats since it is possible for the parasite to spread through contact with cat faeces. Rest assured that this risk is often misunderstood, as we will outline in this guide.

Read on to learn what toxoplasma is, symptoms, testing, pregnancy-related risks and how it is linked to cats.

What Is Toxoplasma Gondii?

Toxoplasma gondii is a single-celled parasite that can infect warm-blooded animals including humans. When it is in your body, it can cause an infection known as toxoplasmosis. The infection rate of this across the globe might surprise you:

• In the United States, it is estimated that over 40 million people may carry it.

• Globally, infection rates vary widely. In most regions, around 10-30% of the population is likely to have it.

Cats are known as the definitive host of the parasite. This is because it reproduces sexually only in cats. When an infected cat passes waste, oocysts are shed in the faeces. These oocysts become infectious 1-5 days after being passed. Once inside a host, the parasite forms tissue cysts - in humans, this can occur in the muscles, brain or eyes, with varying levels of severity.

How Do People Catch Toxoplasmosis in the UK?

There are actually various sources of toxoplasmosis infection for UK residents. It is important to understand the risk hierarchy of these sources, as some are far more likely to result in infection than others.

Here are the normal sources:

• Eating raw or undercooked meat (particularly lamb, pork or venison).

• Unwashed fruit and vegetables.

• Contaminated soil (often through gardening without gloves).

• Drinking untreated water (this is rare in the UK).

• Exposure when cleaning cat litter (if the cat is infected and shedding).

• Congenital transmission, meaning a mother passes it to her baby during pregnancy.

• Organ transplant or blood transfusion (this is exceptionally rare).

It is important to understand that undercooked meat is a far more common source of the infection than cats. Indoor cats fed on commercial diets are at very low risk of being exposed to this parasite. What’s more, most cats only shed oocysts for 1-3 weeks in their lifetime, usually after the first infection.

This is why it is uncommon to catch the infection via cats.

Do I Have Toxoplasmosis? Signs and Symptoms to Watch For

It can be difficult to tell if you have the infection. As mentioned, there are many people who have it and never even know. Let’s look at a couple of key demographics and how to tell if they might be infected.

In Healthy Adults

The majority of people have no symptoms at all. If you do get symptoms, they might present in the following ways:

• Mild flu-like illness

• Swollen lymph nodes

• Muscle aches

• Fatigue

• Headache

• Low-grade fever

If you experience these symptoms, they might last for a few weeks. In most cases, toxoplasmosis symptoms in adults resolve without the need for treatment.

In People With Weakened Immune Systems

If a person is immunocompromised in any way, they are at higher risk of severe illness from toxoplasmosis. It can even be life-threatening if left untreated. Here are some things to look out for:

• Brain inflammation (toxoplasmic encephalitis)

• Confusion

• Seizures

• Poor coordination

• Lung inflammation

If you have a weakened immune system and notice any unusual symptoms, it is very important that you seek medical advice right away.

Toxoplasmosis and Pregnancy - Advice For Women in the UK

One of the biggest concerns with toxoplasmosis is primary infection during pregnancy. The risk of transmission to your baby increases by trimester. It is lower in early pregnancy, but higher by the third trimester.

Nevertheless, it is possible for the infection to spread earlier in the pregnancy. If it does, there can be more severe consequences, including:

• Miscarriage

• Stillbirth

• Brain damage

Eye damage

Seizures

Enlarged liver or spleen

If the infection is present, babies may appear healthy at birth. However, it could lead them to experience vision problems or hearing loss, or it may even lead to developmental delays later in life.

Pregnant women in the UK are not routinely screened for toxoplasmosis. Fortunately, the risk is pretty straightforward to manage. Focus on sensible hygiene when it comes to food, and keep pregnant women away from the cat’s litter tray if possible.

Can Toxoplasmosis Affect Your Eyes?

Ocular toxoplasmosis is a leading cause of posterior uveitis across the world. Symptoms of the infection reaching your eye include:

• Blurred vision

• Floaters

• Eye pain

• Redness

• Sensitivity to light

If left unchecked, the infection can cause retinal scarring. It may also recur in later life. In severe cases, toxoplasmosis in the eyes can lead to permanent vision loss, so you should never ignore the symptoms.

How Do You Know If You Have It? Testing and Diagnosis

If you are concerned about toxoplasmosis due to symptoms or exposure to risks, a blood test is usually the first step to finding out if you have/had it. These tests detect antibodies:

• IgM (recent infection)

• IgG (past exposure)

Many people test positive for past exposure without ever having experienced symptoms of illness. If brain involvement is suspected, MRI or CT imaging will probably be used to explore. If fetal infection is suspected, amniocentesis is the way to test it.

Healthy people with mild symptoms often do not require any treatment when the infection is present. It usually clears up on its own.

Should Cat Owners Be Worried?

Most human infections come from food, not cat faeces. This is because a very specific combination of things have to align for you to catch the infection from a cat:

• You would have to be exposed during the short period after initial infection when cats shed oocysts.

• You would have to be exposed to those oocysts at the point when they become infectious, which is usually 1-5 days after being passed.

• You would have to ingest the infectious oocysts.

Daily litter train cleaning followed by good hand washing significantly reduces the risk. What’s more, there is a very low risk if your cat is an indoor pet that doesn’t hunt wild animals and never eats raw meat.

Responsible hygiene is key. It is certainly possible to catch toxoplasmosis from a cat, but responsible hygiene significantly reduces that risk.

How to Minimise Your Risk (Without Giving Up Your Cat)

If you are really concerned about catching toxoplasmosis, here is a list of things you can do that help prevent exposure to the parasite:

• Cook meat thoroughly (avoid eating pink lamb or pork).

• Wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly before eating.

• Always wash your hands immediately after gardening.

• Wear gloves when you clean out the litter tray.

• Avoid feeding your cat raw meat.

• Keep your cat indoors if possible.

• Cover children’s sandpits when they are not in use.

Simple, common-sense hygiene measures are highly effective for this. Rest assured that it is not necessary to rehome your cat if you fall pregnant. You simply need to be careful with hygiene, particularly when it comes to food.

Final Thoughts

Toxoplasma is a very common thing all around the world, and most people never even know that they have had it. Serious complications are rare in healthy individuals - at most, the biggest risk is that you experience mild flu-like symptoms.

You can dramatically reduce your risk of infection through sensible hygiene. Cats are a part of the lifecycle of the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, but they are not the main risk factor for most cases of the infection in the UK.

If you have any concerns about toxoplasma, we recommend that you speak to your GP about it.

Frequently Asked Questions About What is Toxoplasma And Do I Have It?

Can I have toxoplasmosis and not know?

Yes, you can. In fact, the majority of infections never show any symptoms, so most people never even realise they had it.

Should I get tested?

Generally speaking, the only reason to get tested for this infection is if you are pregnant, immunocompromised or showing symptoms of the illness.

Do I need to get rid of my cat if I’m pregnant?

Doing so would be a big overreaction. Following good hygiene guidance, particularly with food and litter trays, should easily be enough to prevent you from catching the parasite.