(pregnancybirthbaby.org.au) Toxoplasmosis is a common infection that occurs in most birds and mammals, including humans. Signs of toxoplasmosis include mild flu-like symptoms, such as high temperature, sore throat and aching muscles.
However, in most cases, toxoplasmosis doesn’t cause any symptoms. Congenital toxoplasmosis is a more serious condition and occurs when a woman becomes infected during pregnancy and passes the infection on to her unborn baby. This can result in the baby developing serious health problems such as blindness and brain damage.
What causes toxoplasmosis?
Toxoplasmosis is caused by infection with a common parasite called Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). This parasite can be found in:
undercooked or raw meat
raw eggs
cured meat, such as parma ham or salami
unpasteurised goat’s milk and dairy products made from it
cat faeces
soil or cat litter that is contaminated with infected cat faeces.
It cannot be passed from person to person, other than in very rare cases of organ transplantation.
If you get toxoplasmosis for the first time when you’re pregnant, or up to three months before you conceive, there’s a risk that the infection can:
pass to and damage your unborn baby (mother-to-child transmission)
cause miscarriage or stillbirth
The risk of problems varies, depending on when you become infected during your pregnancy.
Risk of miscarriage and health problems
If you get toxoplasmosis in the early stages of pregnancy, the risk of miscarriage is increased. It’s rare for the infection to pass to the baby during early pregnancy but if it does, it can cause serious health problems.
In later pregnancy, the infection more commonly passes to the baby. For example:
If you become infected around the time of conception, there is a less than 5% chance that your baby will also develop the infection.
If you become infected during the third trimester of your pregnancy (from week 27 until the birth), there is about a 65% chance that your baby will also be infected.
However, babies infected during later pregnancy are less likely to develop serious health problems.
How common is toxoplasmosis during pregnancy?
The risk of getting toxoplasmosis when you’re pregnant is very low. Pregnant women are not routinely screened for toxoplasmosis. It’s therefore important that you know how to prevent infection.
The advice outlined below may help to reduce your risk of developing a toxoplasmosis infection.
Wear gloves when gardening, particularly when handling soil - also, wash your hands thoroughly afterwards with soap and hot water.
Do not eat raw or undercooked meat - particularly lamb, pork and venison, including any ready-prepared chilled meals. Cook all red meat until no trace of pinkness remains and the juices run clear.
Do not eat cured meats (e.g. Parma ham, salami).
Do not taste meat before it is fully cooked. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat.
Wash all kitchenware thoroughly after preparing raw meat.
Always wash fruit and vegetables before cooking and eating - this includes ready-prepared salads.
Avoid drinking unpasteurised goat’s milk or eating products that are made from it.
Do not handle or adopt stray cats.
Keep animals especially cats away from areas that you prepare/store food.
Wash your hands and other exposed body parts with soap and running water after touching animals, their enclosures or food containers.
Avoid cat faeces in cat litter or soil - wear gloves if you are changing a cat’s litter tray and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards. If you are pregnant or immune deficient, ask someone else to change it for you and empty the litter tray daily.
Feed your cat dried or canned cat food rather than raw meat.
Cover children’s outdoor sand boxes to prevent cats using them as litter boxes.
It is important that pregnant women and those with a weakened immune system follow this advice to avoid becoming infected.
Pregnant women should avoid contact with sheep and newborn lambs during the lambing season because there is a small risk that an infected sheep or lamb could pass the infection on at this time.
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Fuente: www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au
