Parasite Spread by Cats That Kills Otters Is Also a Potential Threat to Humans, Other Animals

There's a growing concern about a potential health threat over a parasite spread by cats after it killed four sea otters. A new report claimed the same parasite could infect other animals, including humans.

Cat Spreads Parasite Infecting Warm-Blooded Animals

The parasite, identified as toxoplasma gondii, is a parasite infecting a wide variety of warm-blooded animals, including humans. It is transmitted by domesticated and wild cats.

According to a study published Wednesday in Frontiers in Marine Science, the parasite frequently affects sea otters. The genetic testing found out that all four sea otters that recently died had been infected with a highly uncommon strain of the parasite that appears to be capable of quickly killing its host.

According to study author Melissa Miller of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, all infected otters-three were discovered in San Luis Obispo County and one in Santa Cruz County-housed high numbers of parasites and displayed an unusual pattern of severe parasite-linked damage to body fat stores as well as damage to many other tissues.

Miller told Forbes, the unusual parasite strain has only ever been found in wild animals three times, twice in Canadian mountain lions in 1995 and once more many years later in a feral pig in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California.

The strain's finding in California's coastal waters raises concerns for the state's sea otters, which are considered a threatened species. It also poses a possible risk to humans, domestic animals, and other wildlife, all of which are susceptible to Toxoplasma infection, the researchers said.

The strain hasn't been seen in any other species, but the researchers claimed it could be dangerous to the general population because humans can consume Toxoplasma from tainted seafood or seawater.

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According to Miller, it's unclear whether the parasite is a recent arrival to the California coast or if researchers just uncovered something that has been around for some time but had gone unnoticed. Miller said scientists still can't rule out the potential that it was simply missed in prior monitoring efforts. The information implies that the strain is novel since over 25 years of otter necropsies haven't shown similar patterns of parasite-associated fat destruction.

What Is Toxoplasmosis?

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), toxoplasma gondii, a parasite with only one cell, is the source of the infection known as toxoplasmosis. Despite being present throughout the world, the parasite Toxoplasma may infect more than 40 million people in the US.

The parasite toxoplasma can live for a very long time-possibly a lifetime-in the bodies of humans and other animals. Nonetheless, only a small percentage of infected people have symptoms since a healthy person's immune system typically prevents the parasite from producing sickness.

However, those who are expecting or have weakened immune systems should exercise caution, as a toxoplasma infection could have major negative effects on their health.

The following individuals have a higher risk of developing severe toxoplasmosis:

Newborns whose mothers had recently developed toxoplasma gondii infections during or right before pregnancy.
People whose immune systems have been significantly compromised, including those who have AIDS, are undergoing certain types of chemotherapy, and have recently undergone organ transplantation.