TOXOPLASMOSIS!!

Cat&Baby

so, I asked the Dr to run a toxoplasmosis test on me at my first appt. I got the results today and I'm confused and freaked out!

I read that once you get Toxo you can't get it again. Well, the nurse said I'm not immune, and I've "recently" been infected..... Like recently while pregnant? Or recent like 4 months ago?!?!? And if I was recently infected how am I not immune?!?!?

I've been avoiding my sweet kitties like the plague and was hoping to find I was immune to get my snuggle buddies back

cmerribury

Toxoplasmosis is only transmitted through dry feline feces, so you don't need to avoid snuggles, just don't clean their litter boxes.

Jules08

I am curious, what prompted you to ask to be tested? 

Also, like @cmerribury said, you can still snuggle with the kitties, just avoid the litter box.  Keep in mind, your kitties may not have been the source.  It's a common parasite that can be picked up from gardening, raw or undercooked lamb, pork, and venison, some dairy, water, contaminated kitchen utensils, fruits and veggies, etc.

Cat&Baby

I was tested because it's a fight to get hubby to clean the letterbox, I was hoping to find out I was immune and not have to worry about it.

But how have I been infected and not have immunity?

Jules08

Ahh that makes sense (about the litter box fight).

I would call to get clarification; I'd want to confirm that it is not an active infection.  I'd also want to know about treatment if necessary.

kcbarbo78

Hi there. This is a subject that interests me because I'm definitely a crazy cat lady. I have three cats of my own and, before starting IVF, I volunteered at a cat shelter. As a general rule, if you've been infected at least 6 months prior to conception, you will usually be immune and not pass it onto your unborn child, but there are exceptions, so that's not always true. Some people have repeated infections (most of the time they're asymptomatic). What sort of treatment are you being given? Are you taking antibiotics? Also, cats are not always the culprit. It's possible that the parasite can be present in undercooked meats and unwashed fruits and vegetables, so even pregnant women who don't have cats need to be wary, especially of undercooked meats (apparently, this is a problem in France, due to their fondness for more rare-cooked or raw meat dishes). Out of curiosity, how would your cats have acquired the parasite? Do you let them outside? Pregnant women are generally urged to keep their cats indoors to avoid their eating infected rodents, and also to feed their cats commercial cat foods and no raw meat. We've hired someone to clean our cat litter almost daily because I'm expecting, and my husband works out of state and can only do it on weekends when he's home; in most cases, though, wearing gloves and cleaning the cat litter daily, before the parasite becomes active in the cats' feces, is adequate to prevent infection. In any case, it's good that you caught it early, since you can be treated, and the chances of passing it onto your baby are lower. I believe they can test to see if the baby is infected before birth, but I don't know much on the specifics of that. Also, it's probably not necessary to avoid even cuddling with your kitties since the parasite is only present in their feces (I cuddle with mine and sleep with them every night, but I make sure their claws are clipped and filed dull so that they can't scratch me after digging around in a soiled letterbox); given your experience, however, I can't blame you for being extra cautious! Good luck. Fingers crossed that you have a healthy pregnancy.

imrachellea

cmerribury said:

Toxoplasmosis is only transmitted through dry feline feces, so you don't need to avoid snuggles, just don't clean their litter boxes.

This is actually not true. Cats carry the bacteria on their paws from being in the litter box. If you get scratched from their claws, you are very prone to the infection. If your cats have claws, you really do need to be careful. It needs an open wound to become infectious, hence the scratches being the problem.

kcbarbo78

Imrachellea is right. Be careful about kitty's claws. I clip mine and file them with a rotating file (which they hate, btw). Putting Soft Paws on them is also a good idea, as long as you keep up with it and replace them as they're shed. If your kitties scratch you after digging around in litter soiled with old feces, you can become infected.

emslade982

Definitely call the nurse back and get specific instructions on how to handle this. Let us know what she says.

Cat&Baby

I'll have to call tomorrow, they are currently closed. The nurse said nothing about any treatments. She didn't say it was a current infection, just recent.

emslade982

Well regardless, I hope your DH does litter box duty while pregnant.

cmerribury

Best of luck! I hope hubby does litter box duty. I know mine hates it too...but it's best to just be safe. Mine also has to clean the chicken coop now, so feel free to share that to make it seem not so bad...

kcbarbo78

If your doctor is not recommending treatment, you probably tested positive for a previous infection and are not currently sick and at risk of harming your baby. Based on my conversation with my doctor, it's my understanding that pregnant women who test positive have been infected in the past, and generally even if they're exposed again during their pregnancy their unborn baby should not be affected. It's very unusual for a person to be sickened by tox more than once. Most people will develop antibodies after getting infected. If you're infected for the first time shortly before conception (whether with noticeable symptoms or not), the unborn child can be harmed, but if you've been infected several months before getting pregnant it's generally not a problem. Women who test negative for toxoplasmosis are the ones who should take major precautions because getting infected for the first time while you're pregnant can lead to miscarriage, birth defects, etc. When I spoke to my vet about the odds of my cats getting infected, he said they were minimal because they're indoor cats who eat commercial cat food. There is a small possibility they might kill and eat a rodent in the house or sneak some raw meat from the counter when I'm cooking, but both scenarios are unlikely with my cats. Women are far more likely to become infected by undercooked meat, especially pork (one more reason not to eat bacon!).

pinottoparenthood

I have the litterbox fight with my husband too. Honestly there have been times where I have just scooped the box myself rather than spend days trying to get him to do it while our house gets stinky. Is it really that risky if I wash my hands thoroughly afterwards? 

thaisac1

Cat&Baby said:

so, I asked the Dr to run a toxoplasmosis test on me at my first appt. I got the results today and I'm confused and freaked out!

I read that once you get Toxo you can't get it again. Well, the nurse said I'm not immune, and I've "recently" been infected..... Like recently while pregnant? Or recent like 4 months ago?!?!? And if I was recently infected how am I not immune?!?!?

I've been avoiding my sweet kitties like the plague and was hoping to find I was immune to get my snuggle buddies back

Ask her if it was the IgM or the IgG antibody that was positive. IgM means new infection, IgG means old. The fact she said you are immune makes me think it was IgG.

kdueck

DH refuses to clean the litter box! So I've just been making sure to wash my hands immediately after. I will be asking my doctor to run a test at my next apt which is on Friday. Hopefully all is good, and the OB can conceive DH needs to step up and help out.

cmerribury

Yes, @pinottoparenthood because the toxoplasmosis is passed in the air when the dried feces is moved while cleaning.

Jlnitti80

My DH travels so when he is away I clean the box.  I clean it twice a day once in the AM and once in the PM and use gloves, I will use a mask if I have to dump the whole box for cleaning.  Typically we completely empty and wash the box once every five days (thank you Amazon and low cost cat litter).  If you can remove the solid waste the same day it also helps cut down on the risk.  Practice good litter box hygiene, use a common sense approach, and always wash your hands.  

Per the Humane Society:

 https://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/toxoplasmosis.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

The likelihood of contracting toxoplasmosis

Because it's difficult for cats to transmit toxoplasmosis directly to their caregivers, a pregnant woman is generally unlikely to contract the disease from her pet cat.

Several factors keep the chance of such transmission low.

• Only cats who ingest tissue cysts get infected. Within the feline population, this would be limited to outdoor cats who hunt and eat rodents, as well as cats who are fed raw meat by their owners.
• Typically a cat only excretes oocystsis when she is first exposed to T. gondii, and this goes on for only two weeks. An outdoor hunting cat is often exposed to the disease as a kitten and is, therefore, less likely to transmit the infection as she ages.
• Because oocysts only become infective after one to five days, exposure to the disease is unlikely as long as you clean the cat's litter box daily.
• Since oocysts are transmitted by ingestion, in order to contract toxoplasmosis, a woman would have to make contact with contaminated feces in the litter box and then, without washing her hands, touch her mouth or otherwise transmit the contaminated fecal matter to her digestive system.

pinottoparenthood

One of my cats goes outside and definitely kills small animals... Now I'm kinda freaking out! Will make my husband do it from now on...

Jlnitti80

I would call your vet and have your cat tested. A prior poster also mentioned a blood test you can have your Doctor run as well. My stepmother had indoor/outdoor cats during all three of her pregnancies and never had an issue so IMO I think caution, a common sense approach, with a little extra litter box TLC, and all should be fine. Remember it takes five days for the oocysts to be "active" so daily or 2x a day cleaning with a full change out once a week is good prevention. For what it's worth my sister also had three cats during her first pregnancy and also experienced no issues.

Cat&Baby

Dr told me to absolutely not do it. If I have to I need to wear gloves and a face mask. I'm just nervous about everything. I've waited for this baby for such a long time