As National Science Week approaches (10 to 18 August 2024), the Food Safety Information Council is warning Australians about the rising risk of infections from parasites like toxoplasmosis and cryptosporidiosis.
These infections are becoming more common, and it’s important to know how to protect yourself and your family.
Professor Shokoofeh Shamsi, the Council’s Director, highlighted a recent study showing that there are around 15,500 cases of toxoplasmosis in Australia each year.
Toxoplasmosis is a serious infection caused by the Toxoplasma parasite.
It’s especially dangerous for pregnant women and their babies, as well as people with weakened immune systems. The infection can lead to severe health issues like blindness and strokes.
Surprisingly, while only 17% of Australians have heard of toxoplasmosis, 25% to 30% have signs of past infections.
One common way to get this infection is through contact with cat feces.
You can also get it by eating raw or undercooked meat from animals like sheep, pork, kangaroo, or game meat. To reduce your risk, follow these three simple tips:
- Safe Pet Care: Toxoplasmosis is often spread through cat feces, so clean litter trays daily and wash your hands thoroughly afterward. If you’re pregnant or have a weakened immune system, ask someone else to do it or wear gloves. Avoid feeding your cat raw meat, and keep cats out of food preparation areas like kitchen benchtops. Always wash your hands before handling food and after touching pets or their toys.
- Cook Meat Thoroughly: The parasites can be found in the muscle tissue of raw or undercooked meats. Use a meat thermometer to make sure you cook lamb to at least 63°C, pork to 70°C, and minced meat to 75°C. Let the meat rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.
- Gardening Safely: If you grow your own fruits and vegetables, make sure your garden is fenced or covered to keep animals from defecating in the area. Wear gloves while gardening and wash your hands afterward. Also, cover children’s sandboxes when not in use to prevent cats from using them as litter boxes.
The number of cryptosporidiosis cases, another infection caused by parasites, has also increased dramatically, with 11,747 cases reported in 2024 compared to 3,716 in 2023. This infection is most common in young children and often spreads through contaminated water, such as swimming pools. The parasite’s eggs aren’t killed by chlorine, so it’s important to follow these tips:
- Wash your hands thoroughly before eating, after using the toilet, and after touching animals.
- Stay home if you or your child has diarrhea to prevent spreading the infection to others.
- Avoid swimming in pools, rivers, or the ocean if you have diarrhea or within two weeks after symptoms stop, as you may still spread the parasite.
If you or your child has persistent diarrhea, contact your doctor for advice. Taking these precautions can help protect you and your family from these dangerous infections.
If you care about inflammation, please read studies about turmeric: nature’s golden answer to inflammation, and what to eat to reduce chronic Inflammation.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how a plant-based diet could help ease inflammation ,and Vitamin D deficiency linked to increased inflammation.
