People with cats that spend most of their time outside may want to think twice before cleaning the litter box.
Nursing student Christine warned on TikTok that the box could be contaminated with the disease toxoplasmosis, which can cause flu-like symptoms and in rare cases cause vision problems and even death.
Although most infected people do not show symptoms, older adults and pregnant women are most at risk. And infected fetuses are at greater risk for vision problems and developmental delays.
Outdoor cats ingest the parasite after eating wild animals such as birds and rodents and then shed it in their feces. Indoor cats are unlikely to become infected.
People can get infected while cleaning cat litter and getting the microscopic parasite on their hands. But experts say it’s more common for people to contract toxoplasmosis from unwashed produce and dirty food surfaces.
Christine, a nursing student, posted the clip online and said she would now take these precautions when cleaning the litter box
Christine posted the video of herself wearing gloves and a face mask, writing, “Like I clean the litter box now since I found out about toxoplasmosis.”
The clip went viral on TikTok and has now been viewed more than 900,000 times and liked by 71,000 people.
The Cleveland Clinic also recommends wearing a mask while changing cat litter, but studies show the disease is not airborne.
People become ill by accidentally touching objects contaminated with the pathogen and then touching their mouths, thereby transmitting the infection.
Normally, the disease is diagnosed by a blood test, which looks for antibodies against the disease.
One user commented: ‘Oh dear, my mom got toxoplasmosis from our kitten’s litter box when she was heavily pregnant. Literally a parasite.’
And a second added: ‘Stop! My cat just had kittens and is bringing gophers and mice to the front door but she’s not eating them — should I be worried?’
Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii and is relatively common in the United States. An estimated 40 million people are infected.
Many patients experience no symptoms, but warning signs include muscle aches, fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes.
The immune system can often fight off the parasite, but it can remain in the body for decades in small sacs called cysts. If the immune system weakens, these can explode and cause a new infection.
To treat the infection, health care providers use a combination of antiparasitic medications and antibiotics.
The CDC used to advise pregnant women and vulnerable people to avoid cats, but that is no longer the case.
Above is the life cycle of toxoplasmosis. Cats often contract it by eating infected wild animals. They can then release the parasite in their feces, which can infect humans.
Pictured above is an outdoor cat. Experts warn that these cats can contract toxoplasmosis
Experts from Cornell University said: ‘Because cats only shed the organism for a short period of time, the chance that people will come into contact with the organism from the cats they live with is relatively small.
‘Having a cat does not mean you can become infected with Toxoplasma.
‘Regularly removing feces from the litter box, wearing gloves and washing your hands afterwards will reduce the risk of infection.’
They added: ‘It is unlikely that you will come into contact with the parasite by touching an infected cat, as cats do not typically carry the parasite in their fur.
‘It is also unlikely that you will become infected through cat bites or scratches.
‘In the US, people are much more likely to contract the disease from eating raw meat and unwashed fruits and vegetables than from touching cat feces.’
However, experts say a new infection in a pregnant woman being passed on to a fetus is of particular concern.
Babies with the infection appear normal at birth but do not show symptoms of the infection until months to years later.
Examples of these are vision problems, developmental delays or learning difficulties.