An infectious form of the cat parasite Toxoplasma gondiil has been discovered for the first time by scientists in western Arctic Beluga whales, prompting a health advisory to the Inuit people who eat the sea creatures.

Toxoplasma gandil, also known as kitty litter disease, is the leading cause of infection blindness in humans and could also be fatal to fetuses and to people and animals with compromised immune systems, researchers said.

Scientists from the University of British Columbia discovered that a new strain of the parasite, previously sequestered in the states, is more mobile.

"This common parasite in the lower 48 (United States) is now emerging in the Arctic and we found it for the first time in a population of western Arctic beluga," Michael Grigg, a molecular parasitologist with the US National Institutes of Health, told The New Straits Times.

Researchers said the "big thaw" occurring in the Arctic is allowing never-before-seen movement of pathogens between the Arctic and the lower latitudes.

"This is a parasite that is secreted by cats so what is it doing in the Arctic and why now is it in the beluga? And that is what we are starting to investigate. How did it get there?" Grigg told reporters at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Chicago that the rise in the number of cats worldwide is likely increasing the risks of the parasite's transmission.

"Ice is a major eco-barrier for pathogens," Grigg added. "What we're seeing with the big thaw is the liberation of pathogens gaining access to vulnerable new hosts and wreaking havoc."

Belugas are not only an integral part of Inuit culture and folklore, but also a major staple of the traditional diet.

"Hunters and community members are very concerned about food safety and security," Stephen Raverty, a veterinary pathologist with the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands' Animal Health Centre and an adjunct professor at UBC, said in a statement.

Raverty has led the systematic sampling and screening of hunter-harvested Beluga for 14 years, according to a press release.