Toxoplasmosis

[Moop]

Hello

Just wondering if anyone has ever caught this in pregnancy? We had a visit to PIL and I am 28 weeks pregnant. I had steak - not cooked thoroughly and I should have said something to MIL but didn't. I had awful diahorrea the day after and my husband was ill 4 days later and now FIL is ill. Only MIL who didn't have it is ok. I am worried about toxoplasmosis - have a doctors appt on Thursday and luckily in Belgium they will test without quibbling.

Just wondering if anyone has any knowledge or experience of this?

[belgo]

Hi Moop,

I know of one person who had this in pregnancy and all was well in the end. I personally would ask for the appointment earlier then thursday, not only to hopefully put your mind at rest quicker., but also because I think they can treat toxoplasmosis if you have caught it (don't quote me on that though!)

[Longtalljosie]

The symptoms of toxoplasmosis are a sore throat and mild fever, according to the NHS website.

The gaps between the illnesses make me suspect food poisoning may not be the answer - perhaps it's a virus? Four days would be a long time for a bout of FP to rear its head. If it puts your mind at rest I was talking to my friend who is a) pregnant and b) a doctor about this very subject the other day, and she said she wasn't that fastidious about steak, as toxo was, in her words, "mostly piggies".

I'm sure the test will put your mind at rest, though.

[sifuentes]

I had it last year - not when pregnant. My symptoms were horrendous headaches for a week and an extremely raised gland or two on my neck.

It isn't mostly piggies - I talked to a consultant who specialises in it and he said at the moment - in London at least - it's pretty rife. You can get checked quite easily - you probably haven't got it. Do continue to wash everything and cook everything carefully though. Had I not got it before I would have thought it was extremely rare. The name just sounds so weird.

If you have got it then there is def stuff they can do. You might find out you'd already had it and never knew. In lots of people there are no symptoms at all.

The worst time to get it is very early preg anyway so even if you did have it ,your risk of passing it onto the baby is massively reduced by 28 weeks.

Hope that helps and that I didn't freak you out. You'll be fine!

[Moop]

Hello

Thank you for the messages - I know I haven't had it up to now as they test you here in Belgium quite routinely and I have been negative. I am just quite worried so fingers crossed everything will be fine.

[sifuentes]

In belgium and France everyone gets tested don't they. You won't have it but at least if you did you know you are probably in the best place!

[bacon]

Like the listeria thing, it is all blown out of proportion in this country. Toxo is so rare.

If you search google you'll find it can be picked up from the earth.

The trouble with the food agency/nhs websites they just zone in on the worst case senario and it doesnt say the chances of actually getting anything so terrible.

No need to worry I had squits loads when pregnant, due to hormones and increased IBS.

[oopsagain]

i'm a vet and surpisingly negative through both pregnancies.

But have diagnosed toxo in 2 animlas, whilst poregnant!

I'mm sure it'll be fine- i think it is fairly hard to get... but the test will reassure you x

[Moop]

Thank you everyone - had the test yesterday and negative.

I do agree that these worries are blown out of proportion. Luckily here I asked for the test and it was done without a fuss.

thanks again

[oopsagain]

good.
enjoy the sunshine

[Musukebba]

Yes human toxoplasma infection is relatively rare in the UK; in fact only about 10% women of 'child-bearing age' have had it. Although this technically means that 90% are susceptible, better all-round food hygiene and awareness of other routes of infection mean that catching it is quite difficult and acute cases in pregnancy are now rare. If you've had toxoplasma before becoming pregnant, there's virtually no risk to the baby unless you're seriously immunocompromised.

The reason for the different screening policies between continental Europe and the UK is that France for example has a much higher incidence of human infection. Therefore the higher likelihood of acquiring it in pregnancy makes a screening programme worthwhile. However whilst there isn't screening here, if anyone in the UK thinks they have been exposed in a particular incident - for example by eating undercooked meat - it's important to see your GP and get tested because there is something that can be done to lower the risk of transmission to the baby (taking spiramycin). There are also drugs to treat the infection in both mother and baby if spiramycin doesn't work, or it's too late.

Acute infection is not always noticed but symptoms can be a 'flu-like' illness, with maybe persistent lymph node(s).

By the way, the risk of toxo transmission to the baby increases throughout pregnancy; it's the risk of severe effects of this that reduces.

[Longtalljosie]

I had a chat to my vet about toxo - as a cat owner, I wanted to know how concerned I should be. She said one of the risks is gardening, where an infected cat has crapped in your garden. No-one ever tells you about that. Still - free nine-month excuse not to do the weeding or the litter tray - what's not to like?

[Musukebba]

Exactly.

Old cat poo is certainly a risk and definitely to be avoided (as if anyone needs such encouragement ).

If there absolutely isn't anyone else available to clean out litter trays though, fresh cat poo is much less infectious: the toxo 'eggs' take a day or two to become mature. So getting rid of litter as soon as it appears would be preferable (Marigolds and Domestos being de rigueur).