Toxoplasmosis is a silent parasitic disease that infects humans without them realizing it. Despite its association with cats, its transmission methods are numerous and may come as a surprise to you. It is a dangerous disease for pregnant women and immunocompromised people. It is important to learn about prevention methods and the importance of early diagnosis. In the following context, we review with Al Mousa Specialist Hospital the most important information about this disease and its impact on public health.
What is toxoplasmosis?
Toxoplasmosis, or what is known as toxoplasmosis, is a parasitic infection caused by a microscopic organism known as Toxoplasma gondii. This disease is considered one of the diseases that both humans and animals share, because cats are the primary host of the parasite, but they are not the only way of infection, and the methods of transmission of toxoplasmosis are as follows:
- Human contact with infected cat feces.
- Eating raw or undercooked meat that contains the parasite.
- Eating contaminated vegetables or fruits.
- Congenital infection, where the infection is transmitted from the mother to the fetus during pregnancy.
- Through blood transfusions or organ transplants, but these are rare cases.
It should be noted that in most cases the infection passes without symptoms or with mild flu-like symptoms, but it is a dangerous disease for pregnant women, as it causes congenital malformations of the fetus. It is also dangerous for immunocompromised people or organ transplant recipients.
Causes of cat disease
Toxoplasmosis, or toxoplasmosis, occurs due to a person being exposed to the Toxoplasma gondii parasite. There are many common causes and ways of transmitting the infection, and these causes are as follows:
- Contact with cat feces when cleaning the cat litter box without wearing gloves or washing hands well, and this causes the transfer of the parasite.
- Eat raw or undercooked meat, especially lamb or beef, if it is contaminated with parasite cysts.
- Eating vegetables or fruits that have not been washed well, as they may be contaminated with soil or water containing the parasite.
- Drinking contaminated water, especially in areas where water is not treated well.
- Transmission from mother to fetus if the mother becomes infected for the first time during pregnancy.
- When blood transfusion or organ transplantation, these are rare cases, but possible if the donor is infected.
Symptoms of toxoplasmosis
Symptoms vary depending on the state of the person’s immune system. The infection may pass without any symptoms in most cases, but in other cases, mild or severe symptoms may appear. In healthy people with strong immunity, they often do not show symptoms or they are mild, similar to influenza, such as:
- Slight increase in temperature.
- Enlarged lymph nodes, especially in the neck.
- الصداع.
- General fatigue.
- Muscle pain.
- sore throat.
Symptoms in pregnant women
If a woman is infected for the first time during pregnancy, she is infected without symptoms, but the infection may be transmitted to the fetus, causing:
- Miscarriage or premature birth.
- Congenital malformations.
- Damage to the brain or eyes of the fetus.
Symptoms in immunocompromised people
- Severe headache.
- Mental confusion.
- Epileptic seizures.
- حمى شديدة.
- Inflammation of the brain.
- Breathing problems.
- Heart problems.
- The presence of eye problems, such as retinitis, may lead to vision loss.
How is toxoplasmosis diagnosed?
Toxoplasmosis is diagnosed through a group of methods that depend on the patient’s condition and symptoms, which include the following:
- Laboratory blood tests are used to detect the antibodies that the body produces against the Toxoplasma gondii parasite. The most important antibodies are IgM and IgG. Doctors use the IgM/IgG ratio to determine whether the infection is recent and serious, especially during pregnancy, or whether it is an old infection.
- The PCRK test is used to detect the DNA of the parasite. It is an accurate test that is often used to diagnose infection in the fetus, by withdrawing a sample of amniotic fluid. It is suitable for immunocompromised people.
- Amniotic fluid examination for pregnant women. If a fetal infection is suspected, a sample of the fluid around the fetus is taken to test for the presence of the parasite or the presence of its genetic material.
- In severe cases, imaging tests such as MRI or CT scan are performed to detect brain infections in immunocompromised people.
- Examination of the retina, when visual symptoms are present, to detect retinitis caused by the parasite.
You can book an appointment to conduct the appropriate analysis through Analysis laboratories of Al Mousa Specialist Hospital
How can cat distemper be prevented?
Prevention of toxoplasmosis depends on reducing the chances of exposure to the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, whether from food, the environment, or animals, especially among pregnant women and immunocompromised people. The following are the most important methods of prevention:
- Meat must be cooked well until all traces of pink color disappear. Avoid tasting raw or half-cooked meat. Make sure to wash your hands well after touching raw meat. Make sure to wash fruits and vegetables well before eating them. It is important to clean kitchen utensils used with raw meat with soap and water.
- You should avoid changing the cat's litter box if you are pregnant, or use gloves and wash your hands well afterward. You should clean the litter box daily, and not allow the cat to bring any prey into the house, such as birds or rodents. You should also feed the cat cooked food or food intended for pets, while staying away from feeding it any raw meat.
- Avoid consuming untreated water from any questionable sources, and wash hands with soap and water after working in the garden or touching soil.
How is toxoplasmosis treated?
Treatment of toxoplasmosis depends on many factors, the most important of which is the patient’s immune status and the severity of its symptoms, and if the patient is pregnant or the fetus is infected, and in many cases a healthy person does not need treatment.
Treating people with strong immunity
Mostly healthy people do not need treatment, as the symptoms are mild and go away on their own, and medications can be used to alleviate the general symptoms, such as pain relievers and fever reducers if necessary.
Treatment for pregnant women
Treatment for a pregnant woman is determined based on the timing of the infection during pregnancy, and whether the fetus was infected or not. Treatment options include the use of spiramycin, which is used if the infection is in the first months of pregnancy and the fetus has not yet been affected, and it works to reduce the risk of transmission of the infection to the fetus. Pyrimethamine, sulfadiazine, and folic acid can also be used, and it is used if the fetus is confirmed to be infected, but it is important to avoid it in the first months because it may affect the growth of the fetus.
Treatment for immunocompromised people
In the case of immunocompromised people, such as AIDS or organ transplant patients, they need strong and prolonged treatment, which includes pyrimethamine, sulfadiazine, and folic acid, in order to prevent blood cell deficiency resulting from medications. In some cases, alternative medications are used depending on the patient’s condition and his tolerance to the medications.
Treatment in case of retinitis
Mostly, the patient is treated with the same combination of pyrimethamine, sulfadiazine, and folic acid, in addition to cortisone in some cases to reduce inflammation.
Cat distemper medications
There is a group of medications for toxoplasmosis in a simplified manner, and the most prominent medications used in treatment are:
- Pyrimethamine, a major antiparasitic that inhibits parasite reproduction.
- Sulfadiazine, an antibiotic that is used with pyrimethamine to increase its effectiveness.
- Folic acid, which is given to protect the bone marrow from the effects of pyrimethamine.
- Spiramycin is used for pregnant women in the first months to reduce the risk of transmission of infection to the fetus.
- Clindamycin is an alternative for those who cannot tolerate sulfadiazine and is used with pyrimethamine.
- Cortisone to reduce inflammation in cases of eye or brain inflammation, and it is used with caution and under medical supervision.
Complications of toxoplasmosis
Complications may be serious in some cases, especially for pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, most notably the following:
- Transmission of infection from mother to fetus, miscarriage or premature birth, congenital malformations such as enlargement of the liver and spleen, microcephaly or hydrocephalus, eye problems such as retinitis, and delay in mental or motor development.
- In the case of the fetus or newborn child, permanent damage to the brain or nervous system, partial or complete loss of vision, epileptic seizures, and auditory or visual disturbances are expected.
- If the immune system is weakened, they may develop encephalitis, severe headaches, seizures, mental confusion, coma, retinitis, and vision loss. Lung infections Or heart, and complications that may lead to death if not treated quickly.
- In healthy people, they rarely develop enlarged lymph nodes, inflammation of the liver or spleen, in addition to chronic eye complications.
What are the cases that require treatment for toxoplasmosis?
Treatment for toxoplasmosis is considered necessary in some cases, while it can be dispensed with in other cases, if no serious symptoms appear. Below we explain the most prominent cases that require medical treatment, which are:
First: pregnant women
- If a woman becomes infected for the first time during her pregnancy, especially in the first or second trimester.
- Or if there is a risk of transmitting the parasite to the fetus.
Second: The fetus or newborn child with congenital infection
- When fetal infection is confirmed through amniotic fluid tests.
- In the event of postpartum symptoms such as enlargement of the liver or abnormalities in the brain or eyes.
Third: Immunocompromised people
- In the case of AIDS patients or those who have undergone organ transplantation.
- When symptoms such as encephalitis, fever, or vision disturbances appear.
Fourth: Cases of eye injury
- If the infection is active.
- If the injury affects the visual center.
Fifth: Healthy people
These people have severe or persistent symptoms such as persistent fever, painful swollen lymph nodes, or neurological symptoms.
Frequently asked questions
How is toxoplasmosis transmitted to humans?
Toxoplasmosis is transmitted to humans through many ways, most notably through contact with the feces of infected cats, especially when cleaning the litter box without preventive precautions. Infection can occur due to eating raw or undercooked meat that contains cysts of the parasite, or through eating contaminated fruits and vegetables that have not been washed well. The parasite can also be transmitted through ingestion of contaminated water or from the mother to the fetus during pregnancy. It is rare for the disease to be transmitted through blood transfusion or through organ transplantation from an infected person.
Can toxoplasmosis be cured?
The disease can be cured in most cases, especially in healthy people who do not show severe symptoms, as the immune system overcomes the parasite without the need for treatment, and in cases that require treatment, such as pregnant women, immunocompromised people, or when there are complications in the brain or eyes, appropriate medications work in turn to control the disease and reduce the risk of complications, and medical follow-up and adherence to treatment make the chances of recovery higher.
Should you wash your hands after touching cats?
Yes, it is highly recommended to wash hands well with soap and water after touching cats, especially before eating or touching the face. These guidelines are very important to reduce the risk of transmitting the toxoplasmosis parasite or any other germs that cats can carry from their environment. However, although touching the cats themselves does not directly transmit the parasite, contamination may occur when touching fur or surfaces that contain contaminated dirt or fecal remains. Therefore, washing hands is considered an important preventive measure that should not be neglected.
What does cat fungus look like on humans?
Cat fungus on humans usually appears in the form of circular spots that are red or pink in color, and their borders are clear and slightly raised, but the skin in their center is lighter in color or normal in appearance. These spots may be accompanied by mild to severe itching, with peeling of the skin, and in some cases they cause hair loss when they appear on the scalp. This condition is known as cat ringworm or ringworm, and it is also transmitted from infected cats when they come into contact with contaminated skin or fur.
Al Mousa Specialist Hospital includes a distinguished medical staff that makes treatment for toxoplasmosis easy and convenient, God willing, after accurate diagnosis and identification of the condition and the cause of the disease. Book your appointment now for treatment.
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