Toxoplasmosis deaths accounted for 0.08% (188/247,976) of the total deaths recorded. The age-standardized mortality rate per 100,000 population increased from 0.11 in 2006 to 0.79 in 2015. Most deaths due to toxoplasmosis affected the adult age category.

What Are the Symptoms of Toxoplasmosis?

• a fever.
• swollen lymph nodes, especially in the neck.
• a headache.
• muscle aches and pains.
• sore throat.

For most people affected by it, Toxoplasma gondii causes only mild flu-like symptoms, often from food poisoning. After that initial infection, the parasite usually goes into cyst phase and remains in the person’s body for the rest of his or her life.

The long-term or chronic effects of the infection result when the cysts spread to the brain and muscle cells. The cysts, which can stay in the body as long as the person lives, can rupture and cause severe illness including damage to the brain, eyes and other organs.

Scientists have long hypothesized that T. gondii plays a role in mental illness, including schizophrenia. But though more than 100 studies have found a correlation, none has shown that the parasite actually causes mental illness.

If you are someone who already has respiratory problem, breathing in cat urine can make them even worse! The high levels of ammonia found in cat urine may trigger your respiratory problems. It can also be very dangerous for people who are suffering from bronchitis and asthma.

Infection by the parasite Toxoplasma, which affects about 33% of world population, is associated with an increased risk of several mental health disorders, the most strongly with schizophrenia.

The Toxoplasma parasite can persist for long periods of time in the bodies of humans (and other animals), possibly even for a lifetime. Of those who are infected however, very few have symptoms because a healthy person’s immune system usually keeps the parasite from causing illness.

If cats are infected, they can be contagious to people during a three-week period of time. The disease is transmitted if people accidentally consume cat fecal material that contains the organism. Toxoplasmosis is only infectious in feces that are at least 24 hours old.

Once you have had the infection, you are then immune for life – you cannot catch it again. The chances of getting toxoplasmosis for the first time during pregnancy are thought to be very small. Even if you do become infected, this doesn’t mean your baby will definitely get it.

Toxoplasmosis is most common in areas with warm, moist climates. More than 50% of the population in Central and Southern Europe, Africa, South America, and Asia are infected with toxoplasmosis. It is also common in France possibly due to the preference of minimally cooked and raw meat.

It’s a parasite found in raw and undercooked meat; unwashed fruits and vegetables; contaminated water; dust; soil; dirty cat-litter boxes; and outdoor places where cat feces can be found. It can cause an illness called toxoplasmosis that can be particularly harmful to you and your unborn baby.

During a primary infection, the cat can excrete millions of oocysts daily for 1-3 weeks. The oocysts are very strong and may remain infectious for more than one year in warm humid environments.

A: A blood test before or during pregnancy can determine if you have been exposed to the toxoplasma gondii parasite.

1. If you are infected, another type of test can determine whether your baby is infected.
2. In addition, fetal ultrasounds can determine if your baby’s organs are damaged.

Each year, between 400 and 4,000 babies in the United States are born with toxoplasmosis. If you think you had toxoplasmosis during pregnancy, be sure your baby is tested.

To find out if you have toxoplasmosis, your doctor can do a blood test to see if you have those antibodies. If you’ve been infected recently, your body may not have had time to make them. So even if your test doesn’t show any signs of them, your doctor may want to do another test a few weeks later to be sure.

Around 65% to 85% of people who are pregnant in the United States have a chance of getting toxoplasmosis. People who have recently gotten a cat or have outdoor cats, eat undercooked meat, garden, or who have had a recent mononucleosis-type illness have an increased chance of getting toxoplasmosis.

The diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is typically made by serologic testing. A test that measures immunoglobulin G (IgG) is used to determine if a person has been infected.

The test is also inexpensive. It costs $4 to $5 per test. Pregnant women at risk should be tested eight to 10 times — once a month during pregnancy, beginning in the 12th week, then once more four to six weeks after delivery. Total cost for repeated tests is about $40 to $50.