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National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention |
Toxoplasmosis [tox-o-plaz-MO-sis], or "toxo," is a common infection among people with HIV and AIDS. It usually affects the central nervous system, including the brain. Many people infected with toxo have no symptoms. However, people with HIV or AIDS often get ill from toxo infection. What are the symptoms of toxo-related illness? The most common symptoms of toxo-related illness are headache, confusion, and fever. Other symptoms include seizures, poor coordination, and nausea. How is toxo spread (or transmitted)? Toxo can be spread in two ways: 1) by eating undercooked meat; and 2) through contact with infected cat stool. How can I protect myself from toxo infection?
Don’t eat undercooked
or raw red meat.
Cook meat until its
inside
temperature reaches 150°F. If you
don’t have a meat thermometer, cook
meat until it is no longer pink in the
center. Red meat is also safe from toxo
if it has been frozen for at least 24
hours, smoked, or cured.Chicken,
other fowl, and eggs almost never contain toxo. However,
you should still cook these foods until well done because of the risk for other diseases.
Take special care if you have a cat.
You do not need to give up your cat.
Ask someone who is not infected with
HIV and is not pregnant to change the
litter box daily. This will help get rid of
any toxo germs before they can infect
you. If you must clean the box yourself,
wear gloves and wash your hands well
with soap and water right after changing
the litter.
Keep your cat indoors to prevent
it from hunting.
Feed your cat only cat food or cook
all meat thoroughly before giving it
to your cat.
Do not give your
cat raw or
undercooked
meat.
If you adopt or buy a cat, get one that
is healthy and at least 1 year old.
Avoid stray cats and kittens. They are
more likely than other cats to be infected
Wash your hands well after touching
raw meat and after gardening,
yard work, and other outdoor activities.
Wash all fruits and vegetables well
before eating them raw. What happens when someone with HIV has toxo infection?
When someone is infected with toxo, it hides in
inactive tissue eggs (or cysts), usually in the
brain or muscles. These infections stay inactive
as long as the infected
person’s immune
system is strong. However, when HIV weakens
the immune system, toxo can cause
illness.
In the United States, from 15 percent to 40
percent of people with HIV infection have been
infected with toxo and probably have tissue
cysts. Up to half of all persons with AIDS who
have toxo infection and a CD4 count under
100 get toxo-related illness. What should I do to prevent an inactive toxo infection from becoming active?
The most important thing you can do is to get
the best care you can for your HIV infection.
Take your antiretroviral medicine just the way
your doctor tells you to. If you get sick from
your medicine, call your doctor for advice.
Toxo most affects HIV-infected people whose
CD4 counts are below100. If you were not
tested for toxo when you were tested for HIV,
ask your doctor to test you for toxo at your next
appointment.
If you have toxo infection and your CD4 count
falls below 100,
your doctor will
prescribe TMP-SMX
to prevent illness.
TMP-SMX is also
used to prevent
Pneumocystis carinii
pneumonia (PCP).
If you can’t take
TMP-SMX, other
drugs are available
for toxo and PCP. If I have had toxo-related illness, can I get it again? Yes. If you have had toxo-related illness, you will need to take drugs for the rest of your life to prevent getting it again.
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