Toxoplasmosis Help Please

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lesbrooke

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I came here a few months ago for advice on my (then) newly diagnosed cat and I'm thrilled to report that through my reading here and all of your advice, he is on low carb wet food and NO insulin with his BS staying in the mid 60's. So thank you all so much! I still read here just about every day and now have a new question that you all may be able to help me with.

I recently found out that I'm pregnant--just barely, I've only "been pregnant" for 3 weeks. I've only known for a week, so I went 2 weeks taking care of my kitties without worry. The past week I've been wearing gloves when I clean the litter boxes. Now, it's not impossible for me to have my husband clean the litter boxes, but I'd rather do it for a variety of reasons. I clean them once, if not twice, a day and it's a good chance for me to keep track of what's going "in and out," if you will. I went to the doctor for my first prenatal appointment last week and my toxoplasmosis test was elevated. He is having the lab do another test now that will give him an indication of whether this is a new or old infection. My cats now have never been outside cats, but I have had outside cats in my lifetime, not to mention that I have spent most of my life with my horses at barns full of barn cats. I realize that it's highly unlikely that after 32 years of being around cats that I contracted toxo in the last 2 weeks...however...I'm pregnant and I'm nervous. Can anyone give me the low down? If I did contract toxo months or years ago, would I still have an elevated test? Is it okay for me to continue to clean the litter boxes wearing latex gloves and washing my hands well afterwards? Do I need to be wearing a mask as well? If the test shows that I contracted it in the past, is there any additional risk to the baby now?

Thank you all so much, you've been a wealth of valuable information for me the last few months.

Leslie
 
Hi Leslie

Congrats on your baby-to-be!

Not sure if we're the best source of medical info on such things...I know that when I was pregnant with my children I didn't clean the litter boxes much, but that is the extent of my precautions. I don't think I've ever heard of having a toxoplasmosis test done and so can't advise as to what the potential concerns might be. Perhaps doing a bit of a google, including the site Motherrisk, might help?

Jen
 
Congratulations! Here's some info found for you....your doctor is doing the right thing with follow up testing and you'll soon have many more answers.

For most people, toxoplasmosis is not dangerous and goes away on its own. But if a pregnant woman becomes infected and passes it on to her growing baby, it can cause blindness and brain damage in the fetus.

You can become infected by eating undercooked or raw meat, from an infected animal or by handling an infected cat or its stool. Once you have been infected, you will have antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii for the rest of your life, so you cannot be infected again. With your history, the likelihood of this being an old infection is probable. Your doctor is doing the absolute right thing with additional testing.

A toxoplasmosis test is a blood test that checks for antibodies to the Toxoplasma gondii parasite. Your body's immune system will make these antibodies only if you have been infected by this tiny parasite. The amount and type of antibodies you have shows whether your infection is recent or occurred in the past. The blood tests will identify if you the IgG type of antibody, that means an infection occurred in the past and the baby does not have a chance of becoming infected OR if you have the IgM type of antibody, that means the infection is recent and the baby does have a chance of becoming infected.

If you show the IgM antibody, your doctor will highly recommend a test to see if your baby is infected. This will involve an amniocentesis at 12-16 weeks. A sample of the amniotic fluid that is around your baby taken and analyzed.

Infection early in the pregnancy is less likely to be transmitted to the baby than infection later in the pregnancy. Early infection results in more severe symptoms in the baby than a later one. Most babies infected during pregnancy show no sign of toxoplasmosis when they are born, but they may develop learning, visual, and hearing disabilities later in life.

The toxoplasmosis can be treated during pregnancy with antibiotics. The earlier the infection is identified and treated, the greater the chance of preventing infection of the unborn child. If the child has already been infected, treatment can make the disease less severe. The baby can be treated with drugs that are taken throughout the first year of life, and in some cases even longer.

What Can I Do to Prevent Toxoplasmosis?

  • Cook foods at safe temperatures and use a food thermometer to ensure that meat is cooked thoroughly. The meat should not look pink and the juices should be clear.
    Peel or thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables before eating.
    Wash cutting boards, dishes, counters, utensils and hands with hot, soapy water after they have come in contact with raw foods.
    Wear gloves when gardening and during any contact with soil or sand because it might contain cat feces. Wash hands thoroughly after coming in contact with soil or sand.
    Avoid changing cat litter if possible. If you must do it, wear gloves and wash your hands thoroughly afterward. Have someone change the litter box daily, keep your cat inside, and do not handle stray or adopted cats. Do not feed your cat raw or undercooked meats.
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