Having a hypochondriac moment here.....help?

Post Reply New Topic

I picked up a couple of noodles that had fallen on the carpet of a friends house and popped them in my mouth and swallowed.

It was only then that I remembered he owns a cat that walks where it pleases in his home.


I'm not going to die or anything am I?

cats often shed toxoplasmosis in their feces. it's unlikely, but possible that you have been exposed. if you're not immunosuppressed (pregnant, on chemo, on anti-rejection drugs, or on biologics for autoimmune disease) your body can fight this off without treatment.

Probably not anytime soon. The very worst you might pick up are some intestinal parasites or toxoplasmosis, neither of which is fatal.

I forgot one more immunocompromised condition: the AIDS phase of HIV infection.

and yes, your body will keep the parasite in an inactive tissue cyst phase. if you ever become immunocompromised (and you actually have ingested the critter), the infection could be activated. the infection is in the brain and can be treated with antibiotics.

not sure about tests. there might be something. but even if you test positive, you'll have a hard time getting a doc to treat you for something that's not a problem.

I can be a somewhat of a germaphobe and that is something i wouldnt worry about.cats are usually very clean animals,ours dont like stepping in the litter box.dogs are different,they dont seem to care or see it.your more likely to pick something up from humans (colds,viruses,fungals)or improperly prepared meat(parasites,food poisoning)
Even with a compromised immune system.
I had one of those moments today.i was at the corner store and the cashier was obviously sick(cold),she was wiping/scraching her nose right before she served me.I made note of what she touched and went home and washed my hands right away.

Cats 'clean' themselves by wiping spit all over their bodies. I don't think that anyone can claim that they're more clean than dogs, except that they don't deliberately seek out and 'perfume' themselves with strong smells. Cat mouths and claws are far, far worse than dog mouths and claws; cat bites and scratches become infected far more often than dog bites and scratches. Also, dogs don't regularly harbor parasites that can be passed on to humans.

As far as testing for toxoplasmosis:
http://labtestsonline.org/understanding ... /tab/test/
TORCH panels are usually only ordered for pregnant women.