Toxoplasmosis Infection in Non-Cat Owner Highlights Food Safety Risks of Raw Food Consumption

The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced on the 23rd a confirmed case of toxoplasmosis in a woman in her 30s residing in southern Taiwan. The source of infection remains under investigation. Although the patient does not own cats and has no contact with stray cats, she frequently consumes raw salads and sashimi. Physicians warn that ingesting food contaminated with cat feces can lead to infection.

The patient is not pregnant and has no chronic conditions or recent travel history. She sought medical attention in mid-April due to cold-like symptoms and underwent surgery for a cyst on the back of her neck. Blood tests subsequently confirmed positive IgM and IgG antibodies for Toxoplasma gondii.

CDC epidemic intelligence physician Lin Leng stated that the patient has recovered and those living with her are asymptomatic. While the patient lives in an area where stray cats are present, she reported no direct contact. Toxoplasmosis is a Category 4 notifiable infectious disease caused by an intracellular protozoan. Humans typically become infected through the consumption of contaminated water or food, or undercooked meat containing tissue cysts. It is not transmitted from person to person.

Physicians advise that meat should be cooked to at least 66 degrees Celsius. Pregnant women should avoid contact with unfamiliar cats, wear gloves when cleaning litter boxes, and practice thorough hand hygiene. Gardening or contact with soil potentially contaminated by cat feces should also be done with gloves.

The incubation period is 10 to 23 days. While most healthy individuals remain asymptomatic, some may experience lymphadenopathy or fatigue. However, infection in pregnant women can lead to miscarriage or fetal abnormalities, and immunocompromised individuals face risks of severe neurological complications.