can you get get Toxoplasmosis from a swimming pool if someone has thrown cat poo in it?

Question

I have a revolting neighbour who throws cat poo into my pool and I am pregnant. Can this harm me and my baby? Thanks.

Answer 1

Large quantities of fecal coliform bacteria in water may indicate a higher risk of pathogens being present in the water. Some waterborne pathogenic diseases include ear infections, dysentery, typhoid fever, viral and bacterial gastroenteritis, and hepatitis A. The presence of fecal coliform tends to affect humans more than it does aquatic creatures, though not exclusively.

Large quantities of fecal coliform bacteria in water may indicate a higher risk of pathogens being present in the water. Some waterborne pathogenic diseases include ear infections, dysentery, typhoid fever, viral and bacterial gastroenteritis, and hepatitis A. The presence of fecal coliform tends to affect humans.

Fecal coliform, like other bacteria, can usually be killed by boiling water or by treating with chlorine. (so, higher levels of fecal coliform require higher levels of chlorine) Washing thoroughly with soap after contact with contaminated water can also help prevent infections. Gloves should always be worn when testing for fecal coliform.

The following situations potentially expose a person to the toxoplasma parasite and increase the risk of acquiring toxoplasmosis:

Touching your hands to your mouth after gardening, cleaning a cat's litter box, or anything that came into contact with cat feces.
Eating raw or partly cooked meat, especially pork, lamb, or venison.
Touching your hands to your mouth after contact with raw or undercooked meat.
Organ transplantation or transfusion, although this is rare.
If a woman is pregnant when she is infected with toxo, the infection can be transmitted from her to the baby with sometimes catastrophic consequences.

Once the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis is confirmed, you and your doctor should discuss whether treatment is necessary. In an otherwise healthy person who is not pregnant, treatment is not needed. Symptoms will usually go away within a few weeks. For pregnant women or persons who have weakened immune systems, drugs are available to treat the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis.


My advise is to seek opinion to your physician and for immediate testing.

Answer 2

There is possibility to get Toxoplasmosis from the swimming pool.
Over 80-90% of primary infections produce no symptoms. The incubation period for symptoms is 1 to 2 weeks.
Please see the web pages for more details on Toxoplasmosis.

Answer 3

The risk must be incredibly small. The reason is that the water volume is so high that the dilution and the effect of the treatment chemicals should protect you.

However, if you can prove that your neighbour is doing this, then no matter what started this problem it needs to be attended to. If you can't get along together, then I would take whatever action you considered reasonable (and legal) to stop it without making the agravation worse.

Good luck with this and your baby.

Answer 4

What a dreadful neighbour ! I would imagine any poo thrown into your pool would be dangerous to health but toxoplasmosis is bad news for an unborn baby , get the police to her ASAP and get her to pay for your pool to be cleaned and treated (disinfected etc) Where do you live i`ll come and give her/him a good slap !!
Bleedin Idiot ! (ur neighbour)

Answer 5

Yes-it is transmitted through cat feces(although the bleach in your pool may kill the bacteria that causes it), which is why they say pregnant women shouldn't handle litterboxes...That's disgusting, by the way-you should invest in a videocamera and catch your neighbor in the act and have them prosecuted...

Answer 6

Better yet, pretend you work at the pool. Get a shovel and then start testing the pool chemicals as everyone around you is still in the pool and staring in disbelief while you shovel the mess and test the chemical balance.

Answer 7

I don't think so, i wouldn't drink the water. If you grew up around cats you already have toxoplasmosis in your body so you wouldn't have to worry about it anyway.

Answer 8

1

Answer 9

I would call the police and tell them your neighbor is throwing cat feces into your pool. Pregnant or not, unacceptable!

Answer 10

I wouldn't risk it.

What your neighbor is doing is illegal and you can report him/her to the police.