Possible toxoplasmosis exposure...

[Narabug764]

This is really not my week so far (have been on recently worried about food Ive eaten) - today I was out walking my dog with my small children and my daughter had a blackish blob on her ankle, i put my finger on and it left a kind of blueish stain. I wiped it off with a leaf, but when i got home I stupidly had a smell at the leggings and accidentally touched my nose with it. Now I am worried in case it was cat diarrhoea and I may have exposed myself to toxoplasmosis. Can anyone help shed some light - pretty worried here!

I think as long as you didn't lick your finger or nose you'll be fine, just thoroughly wash your hands and face now and change clothes.

You have to ingest toxoplasmosis in order to contract it so thorough handwash, scrub under nails and wash your clothes should be ample.

Unlikely to be blue-black cat poo
Even if so you need to ingest it. Honestly you'll be fine

Ditto to the above plus you will be sick if it is so you will know. Sounds fine. You may also be immune if you've had it before.

Cat diarrhoea sounds a bit random as you don't even mention having a cat? Just wash your hands and forget about it

You won't necessarily be sick - toxo has often no symptoms in an adult. I have had it in pregnancy.

OP it sounds like you should be fine. Hope you are feeling less worried now.

Don't panic. I have 2 cats and dh is now doing litter tray but only after I kept being sick at the smell. Midwife told me it was fine if cats aren't the sort to bring home mice just wash my hands.

Thanks for clarifying butterfly, my mistake. Hope you are feeling happier now op. I was a ball of anxiety about this stuff through both pregnancies so totally get it.

Hi everyone thank you all for the reassurances. I am feeling more settled now thanks. I think it may have been either a large berry or fruit of some sort that has been splatted onto the ground or maybe a bird poo that is very berry-tinged. I'm no wildlife expert! It just looked like a pile of dark gloop. But the fact that it left a blueish tinge on my thumb and on my daughters trousers, the fact it was odourless and that later today I saw a similar splat in the same lane that had a berry skin with it - it all makes sense. It leaves me though with a horrid underlying feeling that my mind is playing horrible tricks on me and or just being very irrational - I am being irrational. I am not normally like this - but when pregnant it does seem to happen.

I thought I was quite settled on this but then all this talk of poo reminded me that the other day I had to scoop a cat or fox poo from my garden - I didn't want to do it but the kids were out playing so had no choice as there was no other adult around. I just used one of my dogs poo bags turned inside out and washed hands thoroughly after - but now I'm just panicking in case I somehow inhaled it - as I read about this being a possible way of transmitting toxoplasmosis. I know - i literally sound crazed - my husband and mum are at their wits end with me and I can't actually bear my own thoughts. I am trying to think rationally but it's like that side of my brain is switched off. I feel so pathetic.

Poor you. I think you should talk to your midwife and she may be able to get you a referral to the perinatal mental health team to help deal with your anxiety.

If anyone can shed any light on the whole scooping the cat/fox poo up with dog poo bag - that would be helpful. I just turned bag inside out then washed hands. I am doubtful of the inhaling thing - it was just a dried poo on the lawn and i didn't get closer than arms length to it. I think if i can just settle these fears I can calm down and move on.

What do you mean though, 'shed a light'? You didn't touch the shit, you washed your hands, the inhaling thing is sheer fucking lunacy - unless you plan to walk around wearing a sodding face mask for your entire pregnancy.

You are obsessing to an unhealthy degree and you need to speak to a trained professional. You will not get reassurance from posting on a talkboard. Seriously.

Thanks beardminge you actually made me laugh at myself! I suppose I just mean is it sufficient precaution when removing the poo from the garden in order to protect myself during pregnancy?

I'm glad I made you laugh. It's completely sufficient, honestly. Would I, a complete random stranger on the internet, lie to you?!

You will be fine, your baby will be fine. Please do talk to your midwife or GP as well though, you don't deserve to feel this anxious. x

Pregnancy can be an anxious time - but it does sound like you're winding yourself up unnecessarily! (Were you the person worried about Prezzo cheese a couple of days ago? Apologies if that wasn't you!) I think some strategies for calming yourself down will help make the next however-many-weeks a bit easier!

Hi Gashley - yes that's me! I'm embarrassed but at least on here it's anon. I actually convince myself these are actual problems. Preg is hard for me because when not pregnant I think I am a pretty rational thinker, then it seems to all go out the window when pregnant. I don't know if it's just the hormones in overdrive I definitely need to learn some ways if coping - would love some suggestions if anyone has been through similar negative unhelpful ways of thinking. I am due to speak to a health professional soon for help with this.

Btw thank you to all of you - this reassurance has been so helpful and I think beard minge you have just brought me back to the real world. Read your post again it's the best laugh I've had in a few days. I think I miss that direct way of thinking. I'm only in 1st tri and don't want the whole preg to be one neurosis after another - that prospect really scares me.

You are exactly like I was and a was fine. I was worried I had somehow ingested raw egg from the kitchen counter. The laughing at it helps.

OP I have been involved in cat rescue and trap neuter and release programmes for nearly 2 decades and during that time I always have a few waifs and strays living with me, so I have shoveled and inhaled many tonnes of catshit in my life. Am 21 weeks preggo and we have routine testing for toxo here. Amazingly I have no immunity i.e. I have never been exposed.

I really don't think you have anything to worry about.