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In an alert issued on Wednesday, Feb. 7, Westchester County officials warned that two people infected with toxoplasmosis, an infection caused by a parasite, attended two game dinners held at the Moses Taylor Jr. American Legion Post in Mount Kisco on Friday, Jan. 19, and Saturday, Jan. 20.
Because of this, officials are urging everyone who ate food at the dinners or leftovers afterward to contact their doctor about potential toxoplasmosis exposure.
According to county officials, the infection can cause an illness that can result in birth defects or miscarriages in pregnant women. It can also be deadly for people with a weakened immune system or cause prolonged visual deficits in those with eye symptoms, officials added.
Despite this, a healthy person's immune system can usually stop the parasite from causing an illness, meaning that most people do not need treatment.
However, in some cases, the parasite can cause a flu-like illness with the following symptoms:
- Muscle aches;
- Headaches;
- Fever with chills and sweats;
- Tiredness;
- Sore throat;
- Swollen lymph nodes.
The illness, which lasts a few weeks, can also cause long-term effects such as vision problems.
Anyone who attended the game dinners and is pregnant, immunosuppressed, experiencing visual changes or eye symptoms, or any other symptoms is asked to call the Health Department at 914-813-5180 during business hours and 914-813-5000 after hours.
This is a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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