What Is Toxoplasmosis?
2. Causes
Toxoplasmosis is caused by a parasite known as toxoplasma gondii. It consists of only a single cell and it can infect many different species of animal. Although the parasite can infect many species, however, only the feces of domestic and wild cats will be contaminated with the parasite.
Toxoplasmosis cannot be spread from person to person. However, the disease can be caught if somebody is exposed to the parasite in other ways. This includes eating undercooked contaminated foods, contact with contaminated cat feces, and contact with contaminated items such as cooking utensils. The parasite can also be transmitted in contaminated organs, although this is rare.
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