Pregnancy is a delicate time when it comes to risks of catching diseases, not because it is more likely, but because getting infected according to which virus or parasites can be dangerous for the baby That is brewing.
One of the most feared diseases is toxoplasmosis, and that is why in the first analysis it is possible to see if the woman has antibodies against the disease (if she has already suffered it at some time in her life), because if so she can relax in that sense.
However, if the analysis is negative, if the woman has not passed the disease at any time in her life, she is at risk of infection and then she has to be careful with the risk factors: What animals spread it?
What is toxoplasmosis? How serious is it?
Toxoplasmosis is caused by a parasite called Toxoplasma Gondii. The infection in adults hardly shows symptoms, and proof of this is that it is estimated that almost 2 out of 3 people They have had toxoplasmosis at some time in their life. If a pregnant woman has no antibodies and is infected, the parasite can reach the fetus and produce what is known as congenital toxoplasmosis.
This disease can cause a natural abortion to occur, although it may happen that the fetus survives and yet has severe problems such as hearing loss, mental disability, learning difficulties, hydrocephalus, etc.
And how is it spread?
There are two ways to get it: eating something that is contaminated or by contacting an animal that has the disease. The easiest way to get it is, in fact, through food: eat raw meat, fruit or vegetables that have the parasite. In the case of meat, it is said that most are contaminated and that is why we should not eat it raw, but well done. In the case of fruit and vegetables, they must be well washed.
What animals spread it?
There are women who ask if their dog or their guinea pig (or other pets) can spread the toxoplasmosis. The reality is that no, Only cats spread toxoplasmosis because in them the parasite survives and can transmit the disease.
Now, more than the contact with the cat, it is contact with your stool which puts a woman at risk. And for this to happen, the cat has to be infected. If a cat lives at home and does not go out on the street or take excursions from the balcony or terrace, it is very difficult to get anything. However, if you leave home and hunt birds or mice, and consequently eat raw meat, you could become infected with the parasite, and we could find the eggs in your feces.
But stool does not start to be contagious until after 24 hours, so eliminating them before that time would greatly reduce the risk of infection (in case the cat was going through the infection).
And, in fact, Contagious cats are only contagious for a month. Once that time passes there are no parasites in their feces, and in the future, even if they become infected again, they will not be able to spread the same: the eggs will no longer reach their feces.
