Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) Practice Exam

Which disease can be carried by cats?

1. Feline leukemia

2. Hantavirus

3. Toxoplasmosis

4. Q-fever

The correct answer is: Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is a disease that can be carried by cats and is caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Cats are the definitive host for this parasite, meaning that it can reproduce within their intestines, leading to the shedding of oocysts in their feces. Humans and other animals can become infected through accidental ingestion of these oocysts, often from contaminated food or water, or by handling soil or cat litter that contains feces from infected cats. This aspect of toxoplasmosis is particularly important in understanding its potential impacts on human health, especially for pregnant women and individuals with compromised immune systems, as the parasite can have serious effects in these populations. Monitoring and managing cats that are likely to shed oocysts is thus a crucial part of preventing the transmission of this disease to humans. The other diseases mentioned are less directly associated with cats. For instance, while feline leukemia is a cat-specific disease, it does not affect humans. Hantavirus is primarily transmitted by rodents, and Q-fever, caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii, is usually linked to livestock and does not involve cats as carriers. Thus, the uniqueness of cats as carriers of Toxoplasma gondii establishes the significance