Preventing Toxoplasmosis

Minimizing Your Risk

Wash your hands

• Wash hands after using the bathroom and changing diapers, and before handling or eating any food.
  
  
• Always wash hands after contact with farm animals, pets, animal feces, and animal environments.
  
  
• Hand Hygiene
  Wash Your Hands!
  

Keep your food preparation areas clean

• Keep raw meat separate from produce and other foods when shopping for and storing groceries.
  
  
• Wash hands, cutting boards, countertops, cutlery, and utensils after handling uncooked meat.
  
  
• Wash raw fruits and vegetables before eating.
  
  
• Cross-Contamination
  Food and kitchen tools and surfaces may become contaminated from raw food products.
  

Cook and store your food at the appropriate temperatures

• Freeze meat for several days before cooking to inactivate the parasite and reduce the likelihood of infection.
  
  
• Thoroughly cook raw meat and poultry. Cook all meat to an internal temperature of 160° F and until it is no longer pink in the center or until the juices become clear.
  • Do not taste meat before it is fully cooked.
    
    
• Storage and Cooking Temperatures
  Learn more about storage and cooking temperatures
  
  
• Defrost food in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. Food should be stored in a refrigerator that is 40°F or cooler or a freezer that is 0°F or cooler.
  

Be careful when dealing with animals

• Always wash hands after contact with farm animals, pets, animal feces, and animal environments.
  

Use caution when gardening

• Wear gloves when you garden or do anything outdoors that involves handling soil.
  
  
• Wash your hands well with soap and water after outdoor activities, especially before you eat or prepare any food.
  

Additional Information If You are Pregnant or Have a Weakened Immune System

• Avoid changing the cat litter box yourself; let someone else do it.
  
  
• If you have to change it, wear disposable gloves and wash your hands with soap and water afterwards.
  
  
• Change the litter box daily because the parasite is not infectious until 1-5 days after it is shed in the feces.
  
  
• Help prevent your cat from becoming infected by keeping it indoors and feeding it only canned or dry cat food.
  
  
• Do not feed your cat raw meat.
  Avoid stray cats and kittens and cover your outdoor sandboxes.
  
  
• Do not get a new cat while you are pregnant.
  

Do you suspect that you have a foodborne or waterborne illness? Visit reporting suspected foodborne/waterborne illnesses.