Prevention

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Toxoplasmosis can infect anyone.  You are most at risk of developing serious health problems from the parasite if:

• You have HIV/AIDS
• You are undergoing chemotherapy
• You take steroids or other immunosuppressant drugs
• You are pregnant – your baby is at risk for serious health problems

There are steps you can take to decrease your risk of becoming infected.

• Do not eat raw or under-cooked meat and avoid raw cured meats.
• Wash all produce thoroughly.
• Wash all kitchen utensils and cutting boards after preparing raw meat or any produce.
• Wear gloves when gardening or handling soil. Be particularly careful in areas with feral cat populations.
• Do not drink unpasteurized milk.
• Cover children’s sandboxes to keep cats and their fecal matter out.

If you have a cat and are in one of the high-risk categories (e.g., you are pregnant or HIV positive), you should:

• Avoid handling cat litter – have someone else clean the litter box.
• Avoid stray cats and kittens.
• Keep your cat healthy by keeping your pet inside, up-to-date on vaccinations and not feeding it raw meat.​​