F E AT U R E
IS TOXOPLASMOSIS
HIGHLY RISKY FOR
PREGNANT WOMEN?
Unless immune, pregnant mothers can develop
Toxoplasma due to several factors, including
exposure to cat faeces, and transfer it to their
unborn child.
By Suha Jafri
Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by
a common single-celled parasite called
Toxoplasma gondii. Most warm-blooded animals
including sheep, cattle, dogs, cats and humans
can be infected with this tiny single-celled
parasite.
However, the parasite can only be passed on
if it enters the environment or food chain, or if it
passes from an infected mother to her unborn
baby, known as congenital toxoplasmosis. Rarely,
the parasite can also be passed from human to
human via organ transplantation.
In healthy people the symptoms of toxoplasmosis
tend to be mild and general, which may lead
to a large proportion of cases going unnoticed.
Most people who get toxoplasmosis don’t have
symptoms. Around 10 to15% of people develop
symptoms similar to mild flu or glandular fever, such
as a temperature, sore throat and muscle aches.
Congenital toxoplasmosis can be quite serious.
It occurs when a woman becomes infected
during pregnancy and passes the infection on
to her unborn baby. This can result in the baby
developing serious health problems, such as brain
damage and partial blindness.
The T. gondii parasite that causes toxoplasmosis
is often found in the faeces of infected cats.
Cats don’t usually show any symptoms of
toxoplasmosis so you may not know whether your
cat is infected. Also, infected cats usually only
excrete the parasite for a short period of time,
usually 2-3 weeks after they are first infected.
If the T. gondii parasite gets into the environment
or food chain, humans can ingest it. Infection can
occur by:
• Consuming food, water or soil that’s
contaminated with infected cat’s faeces.
• Eating or handling raw, undercooked
20
infected meat, such lamb or venison, or infected
cured meat, such as salami.
• Using knives and other utensils that have
been in contact with undercooked or
raw infected meat.
• Drinking unpasteurised goat’s milk or
eating products made from it, such as
cheese.
If you are pregnant and tests confirm that you
have had a recent toxoplasmosis infection, you
will need a further test to determine whether your
unborn baby is also infected. Amniocentesis is the
test most commonly used.
Pregnant women infected with toxoplasmosis
for the first time may be prescribed antibiotics.
This aims to reduce the risk of the unborn baby
becoming infected and to limit the severity
of congenital toxoplasmosis if the baby does
become infected.