can you catch toxoplasmosis from sexual contact?

Answer 1

No, you cannot. Toxoplasmosis is usually picked up by a pregnant woman through pork or kitty litter and delivered to her unborn fetus, or is contracted by people with lowered immune systems (HIV, AIDS, and other auto-immune disorders).

You cannot get it from sex, though. You still should have protected sex, though!

Answer 2

BackFact Sheet
Toxoplasmosis
(TOX-o-plaz-MO-sis)

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* What is toxoplasmosis?
* How do people get toxoplasmosis?
* What are the symptoms of toxoplasmosis?
* Who is at risk for developing severe toxoplasmosis?
* What should I do if I am at risk for severe toxoplasmosis?
* What should I do if I think I may have toxoplasmosis?
* What is the treatment for toxoplasmosis?
* How can I prevent toxoplasmosis?
* Am I able to keep my cat?
* Once infected with Toxoplasma is my cat always able to spread the infection to me?


What is toxoplasmosis?

A single-celled parasite called Toxoplasma gondii causes a disease known as toxoplasmosis. While the parasite is found throughout the world, more than 60 million people in the United States may be infected with the Toxoplasma parasite. Of those who are infected, very few have symptoms because a healthy person's immune system usually keeps the parasite from causing illness. However, pregnant women and individuals who have compromised immune systems should be cautious; for them, a Toxoplasma infection could cause serious health problems.

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How do people get toxoplasmosis?

A Toxoplasma infection occurs by:

* Accidentally swallowing cat feces from a Toxoplasma-infected cat that is shedding the organism in its feces. This might happen if you were to accidentally touch your hands to your mouth after gardening, cleaning a cat's litter box, or touching anything that has come into contact with cat feces. Eating contaminated raw or partly cooked meat, especially pork, lamb, or venison; by touching your hands to your mouth after handling undercooked meat.
* Contaminating food with knives, utensils, cutting boards and other foods that have had contact with raw meat.
* Drinking water contaminated with Toxoplasma.
* Receiving an infected organ transplant or blood transfusion, though this is rare.

Answer 3

Nope, mother-to-child (more specifically, transplacental) transmission is the only known route of human-to-human Toxoplasma gondii transmission.