Toxoplasmosis - going out of my mind with worry?

Question

Hi,
I am 12 weeks pregnant. Yesterday, my friends cat 'stabbed' me with it's claw, and punctured the skin. The cat is more or less an indoor cat, sometimes goes out in the back yard supervised.
I am going crazy here, worrying that I have caught Toxoplasmosis. I called the vet, they said, you have to EAT the parasite to become infected. That put my mind at rest, but then after speaking the doctor, they said I could have been infected through a scratch, and they took blood today, to see if I have been exposed to the parasite before, if so I would be immune. They plan to take blood again in 2 weeks.
As I said, I have been just crying all day with worry about this. Can any one offer any advice? Is it likely I have got Toxo?

Answer 1

Ok, first of all...chill. Cats that don't eat mice or birds cannot have toxoplasmosis. If they are indoor, your chances are good they aren't infected.
ALSO...if you have been a cat owner in the past and your cat had toxoplasmosis and you got it, your body is immune anyway. It won't be a big deal.
Modern medicine is amazing...you're taking fine care of yourself and are going to the doctor. This will all turn out fine.

Below is a great link!

Answer 2

You may catch toxoplasmosis by eating undercooked meat (particularly pork and lamb) or by eating food or drinking water contaminated with oocysts. Cats are the only animals that produce the oocysts of the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The oocysts are produced in large numbers, but in a short period, when the cat is infected. The oocysts are highly resistant to the environment, but are killed by cooking. It is not a good idea to eat salad made from homegrown vegetables when there is cat around. Sandboxes should be covered at all time to prevent the cat using it as a litter box. Cook all your food. Avoid changing the litter box yourself, if you have a cat. Always wash your hands before eating or preparing food.

Didn't you test for toxoplasmosis when you first saw the OB doctor? If you had titer before you got pregnant, you are okay, and your fetus is not in danger. Toxoplasmosis is dangerous only when you are infected during pregnancy, because it causes defects in the fetus. Probably you will not catch toxoplasmosis from a scatch, but do a IgM antibody test to give some peace of mind.

For more information, check out the USDA website. Post again if you have further questions.

Answer 3

Congratulations on your baby!
There are thousands of worries we experience as expecting mummies, and there's nothing unusual about what you explain!

When I was pregnant, I too was worried about coming into contact with my friend's cats (especially after my boyfriend's brother's girlfriend lost her baby due to toxoplasmosis) but was told by the midwife that the most likely way to catch toxoplasmosis is to handle the litter tray where the parasite is more likely to be harbouring, which was what was found to cause her miscarriage.

Basically, the toxoplasmosis parasite is found in majority of people (as many as three quarters of the population) as we've come into contact with it somewhere or another at some time in our lives. We form a natural defence barrier which then gets passed to our unborn baby, and as a result gets fought off and is not able to harm the little belly-lodger.
A small number of people however, do not have the same level of immunity to the parasite, and these are more likely to experience problems during pregnancy as a result of toxoplasmosis.

Being scratched by a cat is more than significantly less likely to infect you with toxoplasmosis, but you were right to contact your GP to put your mind at rest.

I know it's difficult, but try not to worry as much as whatever you feel gets passed to baby.

Above all, enjoy being pregnant!

XX

Answer 4

It's rare to get it this way, it's usually caught through changing the litter in a tray then accidentally ingesting the parasite which is why pregnant women are advised not to touch litter trays. It's natural to worry but if you're feeling well it's highly unlikely you've got it. Do some research or talk to your doctor to put your mind at rest, worrying is causing you more harm than the cat scratch.

Answer 5

This is just one more thing pregnant women have thrown at them to be terrified of. Have you ever been scratched/bitten by a cat before? Did you contract toxoplasmosis? I'm guessing the answer is no. ANYONE can contract it, pregnant women are not at any higher risk, its just of concern if you're pregnant because it is a parasite that can affect the baby. I would really try not to worry myself.

I would trust the vet's knowledge of a feline transferable disease over the doctor, considering vet's are trained to specifically deal with that. And considering it's a parasite that lives in the digestive tract of a feline...

Answer 6

Toxoplasmosis can also be in raw meat or dirt not just cats. It is carried in the feces so unless you run around playing with cat poo, handling raw meat, or playing in dirt and not washing your hands your chances of getting it are extremely slim. A cat scratch cannot give you toxoplasmosis, the vet was correct and your doctor is overly cautious and getting you worried for no reason.

Toxoplasmosis is also extremely rare to begin with, it's not common and even less common in indoor cats because they do not come in contact with mice or birds.

Answer 7

NO i dont think you have got the bug honey worrying will do you no good or the baby for that matter. The doctor is taking care of it as a precaution. Pregnant mothers cannot clean up any cat mess unless they are wearing gloves. It doesntmatter if indoor or outdoor either. take care chick and look ater yourself like you have been doing like going to the doctors.xx

Answer 8

being primarily an indoor cat, the odds are SUPER DUPER unlikely. The cat would have to had rubbed in the mud outdoors or strolled around in its own poop or another cats that just happened to take a dump, than it would have to be just sitting on its nails waiting to scratch u at which time the parasite would be injected into ya.

i'm gonna just say your 99.9% OKAY!
my cats scratch me ALL THE TIME and 2 outta 3 are outdoor!

DON'T CRY , its okee!

Answer 9

You know, it's not as common as they make it out to be.

I wouldn't worry. I think your chances are very low. Why cry about it? dont stress yourself out over it.

If the cat scratched you, the cat would have had to have gotten the parasite on its claw...which if it's mainly an indoor cat, i highly doubt the cat has it in the first place.

Answer 10

You only need worry if the cat is not cared for adequatley. The disease is carried by waste material . If the cat is constantly walking in its poo you have a chance of infection , otherwise you need not worry too much.