Toxoplasmosis Prevention and Transmission Risks

Primary Transmission Routes and Prevention Strategies

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that pregnant women avoid ingestion of oocysts from cat feces-contaminated soil, food, or water, as this accounts for approximately 78% of infections in pregnant women 1
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that eating undercooked or raw meat, particularly pork, lamb, venison, or locally produced cured/dried/smoked meat, can transmit toxoplasmosis 1, 2
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) advises that transplacental transmission during acute maternal infection can occur, and approximately 50% of infected individuals have no conventional risk factors and report no symptoms at the time of primary infection 1
The CDC recommends cooking meat to safe internal temperatures: 63°C (145°F) for whole cuts, 71°C (160°F) for ground meat, and 74°C (165°F) for all poultry using a food thermometer to prevent toxoplasmosis transmission 2

The American Academy of Pediatrics states that without maternal treatment, 85% of infected children develop vision impairment, 36% have recurrent eye disease, 27% have abnormal cognition, and 16% have IQ decrease >15 points 2
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recommends that HIV-infected individuals avoid contact with animals that have diarrhea, maintain strict hand hygiene after any pet contact, and avoid contact with cat feces entirely to prevent toxoplasmic encephalitis 4

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that for pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals, IgG antibody testing for Toxoplasma gondii should be performed soon after known exposure, and serial testing may be needed to detect seroconversion if initial testing is negative 5
The CDC advises against relying on selective screening based on self-reported risk factors alone, as this misses >50% of women who give birth to infants with congenital toxoplasmosis 2