Immunocompromised Persons
If you have a weakened immune system, it is important to talk to your health care provider about getting a blood test to determine if you have been infected with Toxoplasma gondii.
If you have HIV infection and have not been infected previously with T. gondii, you are more likely to develop a severe infection if you become infected. Even if you have a prior infection, with the development of immunodeficiency you may experience a relapse. This relapse can result in symptoms such as headache, confusion, poor coordination, nausea or vomiting, and fever. You may also experience seizures.
You can take precautions to protect yourself from toxoplasmosis by taking preventive medication if you have severe immunosuppression (see You Can Prevent Toxo on CDC's HIV/AIDS site).
Reduce Risk of Toxo from Food
Reduce the risk of acquiring toxoplasmosis and other infections from food by following these guidelines:
- Cook food to safe temperatures. A food thermometer should be used to measure the internal temperature of cooked meat. Do not sample meat until it is cooked.
- Lamb, beef, pork, or venison should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F-170°F throughout.*
- Whole poultry should be cooked to 180°F in the thigh.
- Peel or wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating.
- Wash cutting boards, dishes, counters, utensils, and hands with hot soapy water after contact with raw meat, poultry, seafood, or unwashed fruits or vegetables.
- Freeze meat for several days before cooking to greatly reduce chance of infection.
*The recommended temperatures for cooked meat comes from Guidelines for Preventing Opportunistic Infections Among HIV-Infected Persons — 2002 and differs from the temperature recommendations for immunocompetent persons.
Reduce Risk of Toxo from the Environment
Reduce the risk of acquiring toxoplasmosis from the environment by following these guidelines:
- Avoid drinking untreated drinking water, particularly when traveling in less developed countries.
- Wear gloves when gardening and during any contact with soil or sand because it might be contaminated with cat feces that contain Toxoplasma. Wash hands thoroughly after gardening or contact with soil or sand.
- Keep outdoor sandboxes covered.
- Feed cats only canned or dried commercial food or well-cooked table food, not raw or undercooked meats.
- Change the litter box daily if you own a cat. The Toxoplasma parasite does not become infectious until 1 to 5 days after it is shed in a cat's feces.
- Avoid changing cat litter if possible. If no one else can perform the task, wear disposable gloves and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water afterwards.
- Keep cats indoors.
- Do not adopt or handle stray cats, especially kittens. Do not get a new cat while you are pregnant.
Page last reviewed: January 10, 2008
Content Source: Division of Parasitic Diseases (DPD)
National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases (ZVED)