Can I Have Toxoplasmosis & Have No Symptoms While Pregnant?

Pregnant women are inundated with information about health risks which can damage or kill their unborn babies. It is sometimes hard to discern fact from fiction and to determine how valid each new health scare really is. Toxoplasmosis can have some serious consequences if contracted during pregnancy. How big a threat is it to you? Will you know if you have had it or whether you are infected while pregnant? Should you get rid of your cat? Read on for some straightforward answers to these common questions

The Facts

A parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, which lives in the intestines of cats and is excreted with their feces, can cause an infection in humans called toxoplasmosis. Cats contract this illness by eating infected mice, birds, raw meat or even soil. Humans can catch Toxoplasmosis by coming into contact with cat waste, either in a litter box or in garden soil. Drinking water or eating produce contaminated by the parasite, or consuming infected meat that is raw or undercooked, can also lead to illness.

Significance

Toxoplasmosis infection is generally harmless and asymptomatic in most healthy adults. It is potentially dangerous to contract during pregnancy because it can cross the placenta and be deadly for babies in utero, leading to stillbirth, or injury to the brain and eyes. The CDC estimates that only about 15 percent of women of childbearing age in the U.S. are immune to Toxoplasmosis. Unless you know you have immunity, it is wise to play it safe and avoid scenarios that can lead to infection.

Identification

Unfortunately, if you haven't been tested, there is no way of identifying whether or not you have been infected by Toxoplasmosis. The majority of healthy adults do not have any symptoms when they develop the illness. If symptoms do occur, they are generally mild and might include slightly swollen lymph nodes as well as fever, headaches, sore throat, general body aches and possibly a rash. Blood tests can detect immunity from Toxoplasmosis as well as possible exposure, but pregnant women in the U.S. are not routinely screened. If you are concerned, talk to your doctor or midwife and evaluate whether testing is right for you.

Effects

Toxoplasmosis infections in unborn babies are rare, with the CDC estimating that 1 in 10,000 unborn babies contract the infection annually. The rate of infection varies by trimester, with up to 60 percent of babies exposed in the third trimester developing the illness. The most common side effect of this infection for most babies is an eye infection called retinochoroiditis which can permanently damage eyesight. Stillbirth, infected and enlarged livers and spleens, blindness, deafness and learning difficulties are all potential complications of Toxoplasmosis.

Misconceptions

In an effort to protect themselves and their unborn babies, many pregnant women decide to give away the family cat. This is not a necessary precaution. There are other, less drastic ways to prevent infection, and cat-lovers should feel secure in their decision to keep their pets. According to the Humane Society, it is quite difficult for cats to transmit this infection to their pregnant owners since the infection is limited predominantly to outdoor hunting cats, and the cat owner would have to come into contact with her cat's feces and then touch her mouth, or somehow introduce fecal matter into her digestive tract.

Prevention/Solution

Pregnant women can limit their chances of contacting this illness by following these tips:

• Wear gloves while gardening to limit contact with soil.
• Avoid undercooked or rare meats as well as salt-cured or smoked meats.
• Keep kitchen areas clean and free of roaches and flies
• Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly after contact with your cat.
• Keep cats indoors.
• Cover any sandboxes in the yard and avoid contact with ones in public places.
• Have somebody else clean the cat's litter box and make sure he does it daily.

References

• BMJ Leaflet: Toxoplasmosis in Pregnancy
• CDC: Preventing Cogenital Toxoplasmosis
• Humane Society: Toxoplasmosis and Pregnancy