Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis in pregnancy Will you agree that there is something ominous, scary for expectant mothers in the word "toxoplasmosis"?! In this regard, we will try to help you understand this problem. Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. The carriers of this organism are animals (mainly cats). However, unwashed fruits, vegetables, and meat without complete heat treatment can also pose a danger. In most cases, the disease in adults is asymptomatic or the clinical picture masks other diseases, for example, influenza. Unfortunately, in some (rather rare) cases, the infection can be transmitted from the mother to the fetus, causing serious disorders of various organs and systems and can lead to miscarriage. With that in mind, a woman who is planning a pregnancy or who is pregnant herself should take a toxoplasma antibody test. The absence of such antibodies indicates the absence of infection and that, one would say, should satisfy us. However, in this case, there is a probability of primary infection during pregnancy, which poses the greatest danger to the fetus. Such pregnant women need additional examination in order to react in time, if it turns out that the infection did occur. The appearance of "early" (IgM) antibodies may indicate the presence of a "fresh" infection. The lack of "early" antibodies, and the presence of "late" (IgG) antibodies is perhaps the most common and most favorable situation, which indicates that a woman has probably suffered from this disease once in her life without even noticing it and that an immune response has formed in her (more than half of women of reproductive age are of this type). There are a lot of nuances here that are best left to the experts. We will also leave treatment to them, which is absolutely necessary if it is a primary infection. It is important to apply simple measures that can significantly reduce the risk of toxoplasma infection during pregnancy: - Handle raw meat wearing rubber gloves, and cook or fry the meat thoroughly; - Gloves are useful when working with soil (for example, in the garden), and it is necessary to thoroughly wash fruits or vegetables before use; - Leave the toilet cleaning of pets, especially cats, to someone else, preferably with gloves; - Needless to say, in all these cases, you should wash your hands carefully at the end of the work; - There is no need to kiss your beloved cat, because during an acute infection of a cat, toxoplasma is found in its saliva and secretions from the nose. We wish everyone good health and an easy pregnancy! Are you familiar with these dangers?

You will agree that there is something ominous about the word "toxoplasmosis",

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