How serious is toxoplasmosis

How serious is toxoplasmosis

http://www.chacha.com/question/how-serious-is-toxoplasmosis

It can be very serious. Babies born with toxoplasmosis may be afflicted with mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and deafness.

Can toxoplasmosis develop into a more serious illness in babies??

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?li=MNI7D=271&articlekey=7812&page=2

Yes, the immune system in infants is not fully mature until after birth. The babies of women who were exposed to toxo within a few months of becoming pregnant or during pregnancy are at an increased risk for developing a severe case of to…

Related Questions Answered on Y!Answers

iam trying to conceive and wish to hear on any vaccines, to prevent malformation in babies?

Q: I am asking this b’coz, i have 2 cats in my home and read an article on toxoplasmosis, that could cause serious infection in unborn babies!

A: Just take prenatal vitamins before TTC and during your pregnancy. Prenatal help make your body healthy for a pregnancy and help prevent spina bifida. There is no treatment for toxoplasmosis. If you contract the virus during pregnancy your baby must receive immediate medical attention directly after birth. The most common therapy is fold acid and sulfur, and occasionally corticosteroids. While the effects of the virus can not be reversed, additional problems can sometimes be prevented with immediate medical care. There is no vaccine for toxoplasmosis, but you can avoid the disease both before and after conception:1. Make certain all red meat and pork is thoroughly cooked.2. Avoid cat litter boxes.3. Wear heavy protective gloves while gardening.I suggest you get rid of your cats if your TTC or find someone else to clean their litterboxes.

Do you want to know 12 pregnancy myths to ignore?

Q: It’s not surprising that a large number of myths have arisen regarding the unique challenges associated with pregnancy. Dr. Robert H. Shmerling, a physician at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a member of the faculty at Harvard Medical School, has unearthed the following sample of 12 pregnancy myths that he says can be safely ignored. I’ve never heard of any of these myths; but then, I’ve never been pregnant.The worse your morning sickness, the more likely you are to have a girl. (Dr. Shmerling does point out, however, that several studies have shown that women who are hospitalized for morning sickness are slightly more likely to deliver a girl.)If you raise your arms above your head while pregnant (as when hanging up clothes on a clothesline), the baby will get the cord wrapped around its neck.If you get a lot of heartburn during pregnancy, your baby will have a thick head of hair.Avoid sleeping on your back; or, always sleep on your left side.To keep your unborn child safe, avoid sex and exercise during pregnancy.You should not touch a cat while pregnant. Women are indeed advised not to handle their cat’s litter while pregnant because a cat’s stool may carry a parasite that can cause toxoplasmosis, a serious infection in the mother and a possible cause of deformities in the fetus. However, other activities, such as petting your cat or allowing it to sit on your lap, are not prohibited. If you want complete peace of mind about this, you can have your cat tested for toxoplasmosis.If you are pregnant, you cannot have x-rays and should avoid microwaves and computer terminals. Excessive or needless radiation should always be avoided, pregnant or not, but you should follow your doctor’s recommendations for x-rays that are necessary. Modern microwave ovens and computer terminals do not expose the fetus to harmful radiation.Don’t take a bath if you are pregnant.If the weather is stormy or the moon is full, you are more likely to go into labor, even if you are weeks away from your due date.Avoid spicy foods — they can trigger labor before you are ready.Avoid bumpy car rides — they can trigger labor; or, labor can be triggered by being bumped in the abdomen or by lifting groceries.You can determine your baby’s gender by the position of sexual intercourse when the baby was conceived, and by how your baby is situated in the womb.

A: i am so glad my wife had to do this.. all i can say is if you have any worries go to the doctor that is what they are there for.. good luck to you all our there that are going to have babies.

Can toxoplasmosis kill or seriously harm my 2 year old outdoor cat? Meds needed? He is out/in door cat. Thanks?

Q: Hi,My 2 year odl male outdoor/indoor cat was diagnosed with toxoplasmosis (we have another 2 year old female that was never sick). He was not feeling well for 2 days (third eye lid showed, had fever, didn’t eat or drink much, was lethargic) so we brought him to emergency. While we were waiting for results on toxo (a week), we were giving him antibiotic and he fully recovered in three-four days. Then, when toxo results came, they prescribed another drug (Clyndamicin) but we decided not to give it to him. We red about toxo and it sounds like cats can recover without medication, hope we are not wrong. They are talking about cats becoming imune on toxo after a while. Here is what we found:A single antibody titer that is positive, performed on the cat, means that there has been exposure to the toxo organism in the past or that there is an active infection of toxoplasmosis in progress. To know which situation exists, a second test must be run 2-4 weeks later.a. If the two tests give similar results, there has been an infection in the past and a certain degree of immunity exists.b. If the second test is significantly higher that the first, there is a strong possibility that an active case of toxoplasmosis is in progress.I would love to hear from someone who has been in similar situation.Here are my questions: 1. Is it true that cats can develop immunity to toxo and if yes, what that means? They are outdoor cats and they will continue hunting (I fed them occassionaly raw meats). I am wondering if after toxo-therapy they can catch it again (option of keeping them non-stop indoor does not come in consideration). 2. If it is left untreated, what toxo does to cats and do all cats with toxo develop serious damage and/or death? I read that many cats that have toxo actually do not have any symptoms – so far, female cat didn’t show any symptoms and I am not sure if male’s fever that night was due to toxo or something else. 4. Did we make a terrible mistake for not giving male his medication?THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

A: Here is other info on it and I would keep the cat on the meds the vet gave you. http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2134&aid=770http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/toxo.htmlYou took him to the vet you paid for the medicine so give it to him. And read what is in the links I sent.R P CAT