What is toxoplasmosis?

Toxoplasmosis is infection with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Most people who become infected don't have symptoms. This is because the immune system is usually able to fight the disease. Toxoplasmosis is dangerous to a pregnant woman and her fetus.

Most people with toxoplasmosis don't have symptoms. When symptoms are present, they are often flu-like and may include swollen lymph glands or muscle aches and pains that last for a few days to several weeks.

Severe toxoplasmosis results in damage to the eyes or the brain. Infants who became infected before birth may be born with serious mental or physical problems.

A person with a weakened immune system can develop life-threatening toxoplasmosis.

Severe symptoms vary depending on which part of the body is affected. If the infection is in the:

• Brain (encephalitis), symptoms include seizures, sensory changes, weakness, changes in behavior or mental state, and problems with movement.
• Eye (chorioretinitis), symptoms include eye pain and gradual vision loss in one or both eyes.
• Lungs (pneumonia), symptoms include fever and chills, breathing problems and a cough that can cause chest wall pain, fatigue, and weakness.
• Heart (myocarditis), symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, feeling tired, and palpitations.

Because there are typically no symptoms, it is hard to know whether you are infected. If you think that you may have toxoplasmosis, talk to your doctor. They may do specific blood tests for toxoplasmosis.

• If you have an impaired immune system, get the blood test for Toxoplasma gondii. If your test is positive, it means that you have been infected at some time in your life. Your doctor can tell you if and when you need to take medicine to prevent the infection from reactivating. If your test is negative, you have not been infected, and you can take precautions to avoid infection.
• If you are planning to become pregnant, consider being tested for Toxoplasma gondii. If the test is positive, it means you have already been infected at some time in your life and you probably don't have to worry about passing the infection to your future baby (discuss this with your doctor). If the test is negative, take precautions to avoid infection.
• If you are pregnant, you and your doctor should discuss your risk of toxoplasmosis. Your doctor may order a blood sample for testing.

In an otherwise healthy person who is not pregnant, treatment is not needed. Symptoms will usually go away within a few weeks.

For people who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems, medicines are available to treat toxoplasmosis.

• Take your antibiotics as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics.
• To prevent toxoplasmosis:
  • Do not clean a cat's litter box while you are pregnant. Have someone else clean it. If no one else can do it, wear gloves and clean the litter box daily. Wash your hands well with soap and warm water afterward.
  • Wash your hands after you work in the garden or handle soil.
  • Wash all fresh fruits and vegetables by rinsing them well with running water.
  • Handle raw meat safely. Wash cutting boards and other utensils that might have touched raw meat. Wash your hands well with soap and warm water afterward.
  • Make sure the meat you eat is well cooked.
  • Avoid untreated drinking water.