Pregnancy and Toxoplasmosis
This handout is not intended to replace advice from your physician. It was created by compilation in part by University of California-Davis Veterinary school as a client handout and information from Tyler k Curiel, md CU Boulder,
Please consult your physician as to the incidence of this disease in your area
What is Toxoplasmosis?
Toxo is caused by a protozoa called Toxoplasma Gondii.
I
What is the risk to an unborn human child? About 30- 40% of infections in pregnant women result in damage to the fetus by crossing the placenta. The woman often thinks she has a cold or flue with fever, swollen lymph nodes, muscle stiffness joint and abdominal pain. The amount of damage done to the baby depends on the tage of pregnancy at the time of infection. Early pregnancy exposure is less likely to result in infection but infection may result in miscarriage or stillbirth or blindness or brain disorders. Later in pregnancy is not as likely to induce serious diseae. Sometimes problems are not evident at birth and show up later in life such as retinal inflammation.
The problems described above occu only when someone is infected with toxoplasmosis for the first time or is immunosupressed.
What precautions should be taken? Dietary exposures are the most important exposure, less so is cat feces.
Undercooked meat and meat juices should be avoided especially lamb. Raw vegetables should be washed carefully to remove all dirt which could be contaminated with feces. There is no reason to avoid normal cooking, includinng handling raw meats, as long as the hands are carefully washed afterwards.
Public health risks. The risk to humans involves the contamination of the environment with sporulated oocysts. in general, a cat sheds oocysts only when it is initially infected with the organism. Repeat exposure usually does not result in oocyst shedding. Direct contact with a cat that is actively shedding oocysts is unlikely to result in infections. Contact with fresh feces, which contain only unsporulated oocysts poses no threat. Being very fastidious, cats ususally clean themselves of any fecal remnants before oocysts have had time to sporulate. As a result of the host oocsyt shedding period and the fact that oocyst Gondii shedding usually does not recur following repeat exposure . Many doctors recommend avoiding litter boxes and sick animals with old feces on them.
This handout is not intended to replace advice from your physician. It was created by compilation in part by University of California-Davis Veterinary school as a client handout and information from Tyler k Curiel, md CU Boulder,
Please consult your physician as to the incidence of this disease in your area
What is Toxoplasmosis?
Toxo is caused by a protozoa called Toxoplasma Gondii.
I
What is the risk to an unborn human child? About 30- 40% of infections in pregnant women result in damage to the fetus by crossing the placenta. The woman often thinks she has a cold or flue with fever, swollen lymph nodes, muscle stiffness joint and abdominal pain. The amount of damage done to the baby depends on the tage of pregnancy at the time of infection. Early pregnancy exposure is less likely to result in infection but infection may result in miscarriage or stillbirth or blindness or brain disorders. Later in pregnancy is not as likely to induce serious diseae. Sometimes problems are not evident at birth and show up later in life such as retinal inflammation.
The problems described above occu only when someone is infected with toxoplasmosis for the first time or is immunosupressed.
What precautions should be taken? Dietary exposures are the most important exposure, less so is cat feces.
Undercooked meat and meat juices should be avoided especially lamb. Raw vegetables should be washed carefully to remove all dirt which could be contaminated with feces. There is no reason to avoid normal cooking, includinng handling raw meats, as long as the hands are carefully washed afterwards.
Public health risks. The risk to humans involves the contamination of the environment with sporulated oocysts. in general, a cat sheds oocysts only when it is initially infected with the organism. Repeat exposure usually does not result in oocyst shedding. Direct contact with a cat that is actively shedding oocysts is unlikely to result in infections. Contact with fresh feces, which contain only unsporulated oocysts poses no threat. Being very fastidious, cats ususally clean themselves of any fecal remnants before oocysts have had time to sporulate. As a result of the host oocsyt shedding period and the fact that oocyst Gondii shedding usually does not recur following repeat exposure . Many doctors recommend avoiding litter boxes and sick animals with old feces on them.
