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Causes of Toxoplasmosis

 The condition is only caused due to a parasite which may be contracted from the environment. You can get toxoplasmosis through close contact with cats or their feces. You may also acquire the condition by consuming raw or undercooked meats or drinking raw milk from infected animals such as cows, buffaloes and goats. Blood transfusion from an infected person, or transplantation of an infected organ is a rare and yet possible way of contracting the disease.

Not everyone is at a risk of toxoplasmosis. Here are some of the factors that may increase the risk of contracting the parasite.

• Low Hygiene: Not washing your hands after performing activities such as gardening or cleaning your cat’s litter, can cause you to contact into with bacteria and parasites.
• Eating Raw Meats: While meats cooked rare can taste very good, they come with a potential risk of toxins such as salmonella and Toxoplasma gondii. Always ensure that you cure and cook your meats thoroughly. Avoid consuming pork, venison and lamb uncooked or partially cooked.
• Using Unclean Utensils: Always clean all your utensils thoroughly before you use them, especially if you have used them for cooking meats. If you have stored the raw meats in any containers or used any utensils for the handling of the raw meat, always wash them well with soap before returning them to storage.
• Drinking Raw Milk: Those who consume raw milk, especially from goats, are at a high risk of developing toxoplasmosis. Therefore, always use pasteurized milk. If such milk is not available, consume milk only after boiling it.
• Organ Transplantation: Though this is rare, organ donors may carry the parasite without knowing that they have it. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the organs you are getting are devoid of any disease causing organisms.
• A pregnant woman may pass on the infection to her unborn baby.