Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic infection caused by a single celled organism or protozoan called Toxoplasmosis gondii.
While the disease causes few problems in adults, it can be dangerous to people who are immunosuppressed including pregnant women and people who are HIV positive.
In most cases, some experts suggest up to ninety percent (9 in 10), toxoplasmosis is asymptomatic. Symptoms of toxoplasmosis are often mistaken for mononucleosis. These include swollen lymph nodes, fever and fatigue. If you are concerned that you may have contracted toxoplasmosis, your doctor will be able to confirm the diagnosis with a simple blood test.
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Toxoplasmosis is a common infection which can be transmitted through improper hygiene. Only about 0.2 - 0.7 percent (2 - 7 in 1000) pregnant women contract toxoplasmosis annually. About eighty percent (8 in 10) of the population and probably all cat owners already have toxoplasmosis antibodiesA protein immunoglobulin which is produced naturally by the body and is essential to the immune system by working to combat foreign bodies, germs or bacteria. They are produced by thelymphoid tissue and consist of different classes each of which is designed to fight specific antigens. They include agglutinins, bacteriolysins, opsonins and preciptin.
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If you have a cat you should ask your doctor to perform a screening test after you have confirmed your pregnancy. The presence of antibodiesA protein immunoglobulin which is produced naturally by the body and is essential to the immune system by working to combat foreign bodies, germs or bacteria. They are produced by thelymphoid tissue and consist of different classes each of which is designed to fight specific antigens. They include agglutinins, bacteriolysins, opsonins and preciptin.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. means that you are immune, in which case the disease will not affect you. If the antibodiesA protein immunoglobulin which is produced naturally by the body and is essential to the immune system by working to combat foreign bodies, germs or bacteria. They are produced by thelymphoid tissue and consist of different classes each of which is designed to fight specific antigens. They include agglutinins, bacteriolysins, opsonins and preciptin.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. are not present there is a risk of infection which can be minimized by following some simple guidelines.
If you contract toxoplasmosis before conceiving, your baby is safe from infection. The risk of contracting toxoplasmosis during pregnancy is very low: less than 0.5 percent (5 in 1000). There is a risk of transmitting the infection to the fetus, but this is more likely if the infection is contracted during the third trimester. Toxoplasmosis during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage or a baby born with the infection: the rate of congenital infection is 0.01 percent (1 in 10,000).
Ten percent of infected babies risk severe problems. These include hydrocephalusA congenital abnormality in which excessive fluid collects on the brain enlarging the skull. Surgical treatment with a survival rate greater than 80% involves a combination of procedures including correction of the ventricular obstruction, reduction of the production of cerbralspinal fluid and the installation of shunts to drain excess fluid to the right atrium of the heart or peritoneal cavity.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions., blindness and scarring of brain tissue which may result in brain damage. Some babies who show no signs of infection at birth develop eye problems that may result in blindness.
If you are concerned that you may have contracted the disease, ask your doctor to perform a blood test to confirm the diagnosis. Additional testing will be required and your obstetrician may choose to consult a specialist in maternal fetal medicine. A visit to a genetic counselor may be advised to determine the risk of congenital infection, but is not usually possible to confirm the diagnosis until birth. Some tests may be performed to detect whether your baby has been infected.
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