During pregnancy it is important to avoid certain foods, but women that own cats need to be extra careful in handling cat litter. Exposure to things like cat faeces and the soil or sand where cats defecate can cause a Toxoplasmosis infection.
What is Toxoplasmosis?
The Toxoplasmosis infection is caused by the parasite Toxoplasmosis gondii, which can be found in meat, blood transfusions, cat faeces and cat litter. Some foods can also expose you to the parasite, such as raw or undercooked meat, unpasteurised milk and milk product, but also unwashed and uncooked fruit and vegetables.
The infection is often found in the kidneys, bladder and intestines, but is not infectious between humans, except during pregnancy and labour. According to the HSE Toxoplasmosis is reported relatively rarely, mostly due to the often mild or non-existent symptoms.
What are the symptoms?
Most infected people don’t have any symptoms at all, or they are often confused with the flu. You may feel swollen lymph nodes in your head and neck, a headache, fever, muscle pain, sore throat, fatigue.
Unless your immune system is weakened or compromised by another illness or infection, a Toxoplasmosis infection will seldom dangerous to healthy adults or children. Once you have had the infection, you are immune to it.
Pregnant women or women planning a pregnancy can get a blood test, to verify their exposure or immunity to the infection. It can be relevant if you are likely to be or have been exposed to the parasite, if you are a cat owner or farm sheep.
Toxoplasmosis and pregnancy
Pregnant women that contract the Toxoplasmosis infection can transfer the infection to their unborn baby through the placenta, but the baby can also be infected during birth. The earlier in the pregnancy the infection occurs, the higher the risk to the baby.
An infected baby can suffer mental retardation, epilepsy and blindness or severe visual disability. Babies infected with Toxoplasmosis will often be premature and an infection in the first trimester can cause a miscarriage or stillbirth.
The infection is sometimes difficult to detect during pregnancy, as the tiredness that comes with it is often attributed to the pregnancy itself. Treating the infection with antibiotics, even early in the pregnancy, will reduce the infection risk to your baby. Antibiotics will also be used to treat the baby.
New born babies infected by their mothers can initially have no symptoms of the infection. Possible symptoms in newborns may include enlarged livers and jaundice, but other symptoms can appear months and even years later.
How to avoid infection
• Only eat meat well done
• Avoid cured or smoked meat, unless it is cooked
• Do not eat runny eggs
• Be very hygienic with raw meats
• Avoid unpasteurised milk and other milk products
• Was fruit and vegetables well before eating
• Avoid handling cat litter, or always use gloves
• Do not feed your cat raw meat
• Get a blood test to screen your immunity or infection
If you have any concerns, you should contact your GP or healthcare provider.
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