Toxoplasmosis, popularly known as cat disease, is an infectious disease that can be born with the individual or acquired at some point in life. It is caused by a protozoan called toxoplasma gondii, which can be found in the feces of almost all animals, but cats and other felines, even if very well cared for, are the main transmitters.
Although not manifesting the disease, animals are potential transmitters to humans, who may also host this parasite. The disease cannot be transmitted from one person to another except from mother to child during pregnancy, the so-called congenital transmission.
It was once thought that pigeons were the major transmitters of the disease, but knowing the biological cycle of the parasite, the conclusion was that in adulthood, when the pigeon is ill, it can eliminate the protozoan by secreting the eyes, but only one Very close contact with the bird could complete the contamination cycle.
Toxoplasmosis can be spread in two ways: one by simply contacting, even indirectly, contaminated feces from cats and other domestic animals, and the other by eating contaminated foods such as raw or undercooked meat (mainly pork and lamb). ), as well as fruits, vegetables, and vegetables with toxoplasma cysts.
The parasite lodges in the animal's fibers and is only eliminated when the meat is not fully cooked, baked or fried. Fruits and vegetables can come into contact with the parasite through the fertilizer, so they should be thoroughly washed and cooked.
In most cases, people infected with toxoplasmosis do not have symptoms or confuse them with a flu and do not even know they are infected, but there are extreme cases that cause severe myocardial, liver and muscle conditions, encephalitis and small red spots on the body. .
Symptoms of toxoplasmosis are fever, blemishes and body aches, tiredness, lingering body language, retinal damage, and difficulty seeing that may even develop into blindness. The diagnosis of the disease is made through cynical and laboratory blood tests.
Healthy people do not need specific treatment. In the period between 2 and 3 weeks the disease starts to regress. However, once in the body, the parasite no longer comes out and there is a risk that symptoms will come back when the person has low body defenses. The treatment is indispensable for people with a very compromised immune system, such as people with HIV and also for pregnant women.
Seropositive patients need special attention to control disease progression. There is a serious type of toxoplasmosis, neurotoxoplasmosis that needs to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible, otherwise it can be fatal.
During pregnancy, toxoplasmosis can lead to serious complications for the fetus. The exam is on the list of prenatal exams and the result can define the direction of pregnancy. If not, indicating that the woman has never come into contact with the parasite, attention and concern increase because if she becomes infected during pregnancy, transmission may occur and the baby may be born with the disease. If so, indicating that the woman has already had the disease and has been cured, the woman can rest easy because she will not get the disease again.
The problem of transmission to the baby varies according to the quarter in which the mother's infection occurs. In the first trimester, the child may have encephalitis and be born with sequelae of the disease, or have vision-impairing eye damage.
In this phase, spontaneous abortion is very common, even though in this period the probability of transmission to the baby is no more than 20% of cases. In the second trimester, transmission occurs in 1/3 of pregnancies, but in this phase the fetus is not as affected as in the previous period, but may still have mental retardation and eye problems. In the last trimester, the likelihood of transmission to the fetus is very common, but it is the stage when the disease least affects the baby.
If you have a cat at home and plan to get pregnant, you should have your toxoplasmosis checked first. If you have already been infected, you can leave your cat at ease and get pregnant easily. If negative, double care for the cat during pregnancy, wash fruits, vegetables and vegetables well, and do not eat raw, undercooked or undercooked meat. And if in doubt, consult your doctor, he will know how to give more specific suggestions for your case.
We highlight that one should never abandon animals for thinking they can give you a disease.If you suspect a problem, talk to a veterinarian and contact institutions that can help you find a solution for your case.
toxoplasmosis (April 2024)
- Prevention and Treatment
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