WHITE PLAINS – Westchester County has issued a toxoplasmosis exposure warning after the health department began investigating two cases of toxoplasmosis, an infection with a parasite. Those sick and those exposed attended two game dinners held on Friday, January 19, and Saturday January 20, at the Moses Taylor Jr. American Legion Post in Mount Kisco.
The Health Department recommends that all individuals who ate food at, or ate leftovers from these game dinners contact their doctor about potential exposure to toxoplasmosis, an illness caused by a parasite.
The health department is also asking that anyone who is pregnant, immunosuppressed, experiencing visual changes or eye symptoms, or any other symptoms call the agency at 914-813-5180 during business hours and 914-813-5000 after hours.
Toxoplasmosis is an illness that can cause birth defects or miscarriages in pregnant women, can be deadly for those with a weakened immune system, or result in prolonged visual deficits in those with eye symptoms.
Health officials said a healthy person’s immune system usually keeps the parasite from causing illness, and most people do not require treatment.
Some people with the parasite develop a flu-like illness that lasts a few weeks with symptoms that can include muscle aches, headache, fever with chills and sweats, tiredness, sore throat or swollen lymph nodes. Long-term effects, such as vision problems, are also possible.
For more health information, check Facebook at www.facebook.com/wchealthdept, follow on Twitter @wchealthdept or visit the county website at www.westchestergov.com/health.
