Toxoplasmosis

[IrishMaeve]

Hi,

Anyone know if you can catch toxoplasmosis from handling plants in a garden centre? Yesterday I went to a garden centre, bought a few pot plants, then went to Homebase, then to Nandos and had chicken and chips - the point of this ramble is that I forgot to wash my hands between the garden centre and Nandos and now I'm in a complete panic about having caught toxoplasmosis.

My detailed blood tests don't mention a test for this, is a blood test now the next step? I'm 32 weeks pregnant.

Thanks

I really wouldn't have thought so as toxoplasmosis is contracted from dog and cat poo I thought. I think if you could get it from touching a plant pot we'd all have it. I'd be more worried about getting something from your Nando's tbh! .

If you're really worrying give the midwife a ring, they will have heard it all before and will offer some reassurance.

info on how it is contracted here:

How is it spread?
All animals and birds can be infected with the toxoplasmosis parasite. The parasite enters the muscles of a bird or animal when it eats raw meat or drinks the milk of another animal that is infected. Cats, which are the definitive host for this infection, can also spread the parasite in their feces. Therefore humans can also become infected with toxoplasmosis when changing a cat litter box or working in an area contaminated with cat feces. However, most cats shed this parasite for only a short time after they initially get infected.

Common ways for people to become infected with toxoplasmosis include:

eating raw or undercooked meats;
drinking unpasteurized milk;
cleaning cat litter boxes;
working in gardens or playing in sandboxes that contain cat feces.

probably not.

And at this late stage it probably isn't so devastating as much earlier on too.

I'm a vet and toxo negative.
I worked thru both pregnancies and handled a toxo positive animal in each of my preganacies.

And still ended up with a negative blood test and lovely babies.

I'm sure it will be fine [soothing smile]
But you can contact your doc for blood tests, they need to be done two weeks apart to show an active infection.

It'll be ok

thanks ladies, will go for a blood test to be on the safe side ..

Hi, I caught it in my 8th month, I suspect either from a salad I bought in a restaurant, or else form undercooked food at a wedding. Anyhow, just get a blood test done if you are worried, as IF, and that's a small IF, you have it, then you need to start taking antibiotics immediately, ie beyond asap. My son was ok (we think, you cant tellf or years and years), but he had to have 3 kinds of antibiotics 3 times a day for a whole year. It was scarey, and a pain in the hole. But the chances you have it are v slim.