Thursday, August 12, 2010

Our Attention to Toxoplasma During Pregnancy

Toxoplasmosis is caused by a protozoan minor (parasite) that spends part of its life cycle of animals and the rest of the population. It is a common infection caused by a unicellular organism Toxoplasma gondii.
 
According to a recent survey of all pregnant women and newborns should be checked for a serious infection called toxoplasmosis. A pregnant woman has a 40% chance of transmitting the infection to her unborn baby, according to the March of Dimes. Only about 10% of infants with severe infections show signs of toxoplasmosis at birth. Many infected infants show no symptoms for months or years later.
 
All pregnant women and newborns should be checked for a serious infection called toxoplasmosis.
 
Sources of infection
 
Toxoplasmosis develops when a pregnant woman is exposed to the Toxoplasma gondii parasite in Cat Litter Toxoplasma gondii is most easily spread in the form of eggs, the eggs can develop only in the cat gastrointestinal tract aos . Toxoplasma gondii, after the eggs are excreted in the feces of cat AOS become infective after 1 to 5 days
 
Undercooked meat such as beef, poultry, especially pork and eggs that are infected by a parasite. You can be infected by touching hand to mouth, nose or eyes after handling raw meat or foods that have been contaminated aos utensils or cutting board that came into contact with raw meat.
 
garden soil, which is eating unwashed vegetables from the garden (in a place where the infected cat has left feces).
 
Symptoms
 
Most women infected have no symptoms at all, then you might never know if you are infected or not. Some have mild flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, sore throat, muscle aches, fatigue, swollen glands, rash, and possibly one to three weeks after exposure. If you think you have the disease, call your doctor or midwife.
 
Diagnosis
 
Blood tests to detect past or recent exposure to this parasite is available, but is not routinely done. If you are not tested and you do not know if AOT, Aore immune or not, or if the test shows no immunity against infection earlier, you can take steps to protect yourself and your child born. In acute infection, IgG and IgM increase usually one to two weeks after infection.
 
If the results seem to indicate that you have toxoplasmosis during pregnancy, your doctor must first treat you with antibiotics aos thought to reduce the risk of transmission to the child. These Äôll amniocentesis and to determine if a child has an infection. (The lab will make a specific DNA test of amniotic fluid for the presence of the parasite toxoplasmosis.) You, Äôll a series of ultrasound scans during pregnancy to check for abnormalities in the development of the child.
 
If the amniotic fluid that the child was infected or ultrasound shows a problem, you can consult a genetic counselor about the risks to the child. According to the child, pregnancy aos, you Äôll be able to terminate the pregnancy. If you are still pregnant, you Äôll given other antibiotics to take after, Aore about 20 weeks to reduce the risk of problems of the child.
 
The impact of toxoplasmosis on the fetus
 
Fetal immune system is unable to defend themselves against Toxoplasma gondii. infection of the fetus can only develop when a woman with no immunity becomes infected with Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy or up to 8 weeks before pregnancy. Fetal toxoplasmosis, especially in early pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and birth defects. Possible problems include blurred vision, hearing loss, enlarged liver and spleen, jaundice, pneumonia
 
Most infected children have no birth defects, but without treatment, most of which cause serious damage to eyes and brain, and die from a massive infection by the end of adolescence
 
Treatment
 
During pregnancy, toxoplasmosis is treated with antibiotics.
A woman who is newly infected during pregnancy is treated to reduce the risk of serious infections of the fetus.
 
If fetal infection identify other antibiotics are given to the mother and the child is also an antibiotic treatment after birth.
 
If infection of the fetus during pregnancy and early diagnosis of brain damage, to terminate pregnancy is a reasonable choice of doctor.
 
avoid toxoplasmosis during pregnancy
 
Here are some tips to avoid exposure to toxoplasmosis during pregnancy:
 
  • Do not let the cat go outside the house where they may come into contact with toxoplasmosis. If possible, ask someone to take care of a cat during pregnancy.
  • At another family member in the litter box and then disinfect them with boiling water for 5 minutes.
  • If you need to cope with changes in employment bowl, wear rubber gloves to avoid contact with litter and wash hands afterwards.
  • Use work gloves when gardening and wash hands afterwards. Children coverage aos sandboxes when not in use (such as cats use them as junk mail box).
  • Fight against flies and cockroaches as much as possible. They can spread contaminated soil or cat feces to food.
  • Avoid consumption of raw or undercooked meat (or poultry) and unwashed fruits and vegetables. Eating only cooked or previously frozen meat, dried meat to avoid.
  • Wash hands before eating and after contact with raw meat, seafood, fruits, vegetables, soil, sand or cats.
  • Avoid rubbing your eyes or face when preparing food, and wipe clean cons thereafter.
  • Avoid eating raw eggs and drinking unpasteurized milk.
  • health education for women of childbearing age should include information on prevention of transmission of T. gondii food and soil. During the first prenatal visit, the health of pregnant women should learn about hygiene and avoiding exposure to cat feces.
 

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