Keep foods covered. Foodborne illness occurs when a person consumes food contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, viruses or parasites. Many cases of foodborne illness go unreported because their symptoms often resemble flu symptoms. The most common symptoms of foodborne illness may include stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever. Toxoplasma gondii is a microscopic parasite that may infect a wide variety of birds and mammals, including humans.
Human infections are quite common in Canada and most other parts of the world.
Most cases of toxoplasmosis are brief and include slight fever, enlarged lymph nodes and other flu-like symptoms which may not appear for 5 to 18 days after exposure. Some symptoms may last from a few days to several weeks. People with extremely weak immune systems may develop severe symptoms such as encephalitis, pneumonia or other life-threatening conditions. Infants born with congenital toxoplasmosis may develop permanent symptoms or conditions such as mental retardation or eye, liver or brain diseases. Diagnosis involves a blood test, and symptoms can be treated with drugs.