Toxoplasmosis is a disease due to infection by a parasite-granule, the Toxoplasma gondii. Usually, the infection of healthy adults or children are asymptomatic or result in only mild and transient symptoms. But people with comorbid health problems, who are immunocompromised (reduced defensive capability) threatened to develop serious symptoms.

 

If a healthy woman contracts toxoplasmosis then you most likely do not manifest any symptoms. If the same woman becomes pregnant later in life then again there seems to be a problem neither it nor the fetus.

The infection but a pregnant for the first time in her life has probably result in the parasite to cross the placenta and infect the fetus. In this case we may have serious complications such as miscarriage or premature birth, potentially serious neurological problems fetus.

The main source of infection for humans is eating raw or incompletely cooked meat or other food that is contaminated with raw meat or foods (e.g. vegetables) which are eaten uncooked, but not washed sufficiently. More rarely, it can be contaminated by the feces of cats. Cats become infected by eating raw meat and game capture and consume from the environment.

Not eliminated by the stool the oocysts of the parasite that can infect us, for a period of about three weeks and does not appear to be able to eliminate again even if recontaminated.

It is very important if a pregnant woman is seronegative to Toxoplasma (not contaminated in the past), eating undercooked meat (the depth of the cut with a knife there is no trace of red blood) to watch the series of tasks and hygiene in the kitchen (to avoid contamination of food already cooked) and wash thoroughly all food consumed raw, mostly vegetables. We also house cats do not eat raw meat, changing the sand every day to follow and thorough hand washing to reduce the risk to practically zero, since the oocysts to become infected for human needs to remain above clock from the environment.

Anastasios A. Boyd D.V.M Veterinarian