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Toxoplasmosis. Causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of pathology. Causes of toxoplasmosis and features of the course in various forms of pathology

During its treatment, the infection can be completely eliminated from the body, but more often than not, such a result can rarely be achieved, so the pathogens continue to live in the body in a weakened form further, waiting for the most opportune moment to recur.

Experts call such cases as asymptomatic carriage of toxoplasmosis and note the epidemiology of the disease in the population from 30-60%.

Asymptomatic toxoplasmosis in humans poses a certain danger, since the disease still continues to progress, albeit in a mild form. How dangerous is toxoplasmosis, what are its consequences and is pathogenic toxoplasmosis contagious?

About the development of toxoplasmosis

Most often clinical manifestations toxoplasmosis are observed in people with weakened immune systems. These may be people who have any chronic or acute inflammatory diseases, who have suffered surgical operations, or those who often come into contact with yard animals.

Speaking about whether pathogenic toxoplasmosis is contagious, it should be noted that most often the disease comes from cats. For them, carriage of pathogens is the norm, and cats do not suffer from this disease. Some women say: “I’m afraid of catching the toxoplasmosis virus from my beloved pet.”

Indeed, toxoplasmosis developing in women is more dangerous than in men, especially if we're talking about about infection during pregnancy. But you can protect yourself; for this, at a minimum, you will need to check your pet for the presence of a pathogen. If this is not done and infection does occur during pregnancy, then the consequences of toxoplasmosis for the unborn child can be disappointing.

Before noting the consequences of toxoplasmosis, you need to understand how the infection is transmitted and whether toxoplasmosis is contagious at all. As already noted, infection with toxoplasmosis is the introduction of the simplest microorganisms Toxoplasma gondii into the human body.

The infection is transmitted not only through close contact with animals, but also through consumption of certain contaminated products that have not undergone sufficient heat treatment (meat, eggs).

When noting whether acquired toxoplasmosis is contagious, it must be said that the infection can begin to develop by getting on the mucous membranes or on fresh wounds.

In addition, before today Medicine has not reliably studied whether pathogenic toxoplasmosis is contagious to humans through vector-borne contact (an infection transmitted by blood-sucking arthropods). This question remains “open” for a long time.

Experts write doctoral dissertations on whether acute toxoplasmosis is contagious, proving and disproving this possibility, and thereby contradicting each other. And yet, is acute toxoplasmosis contagious if a person is “bitten,” for example, by a malaria mosquito? It all depends on the level of immune protection.

In one person, the infection can take hold even with minor surface contact, while in another, this process is impossible even with the bite of a blood-sucking pathogen carrier. But doctors agree on one opinion, noting whether acquired toxoplasmosis in pregnant women is contagious to the gestating fetus.

If a woman was infected with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy and did not start treating it in a timely manner, this increases the likelihood that the child will develop congenital toxoplasmosis. The disease will affect the baby’s vision, toxoplasmosis of the eyes will occur, and the development of schizophrenia may also begin.

About the manifestations and consequences of toxoplasmosis

Having found out whether pathogenic toxoplasmosis is contagious for humans, it is necessary to note why it is dangerous and how this disease manifests itself. Infection with toxoplasmosis is characterized by enlargement of the lymph nodes, spleen, liver and other internal organs Moreover, all this happens when elevated temperature. General clinical picture Acquired toxoplasmosis occurs as a typhoid-like disease.

With severe infection with toxoplasmosis, the nervous system can be affected, and with low-grade fever, migraines, vomiting, convulsions, and even paralysis may occur.

As a rule, symptoms of toxoplasmosis occur in its chronic form. The first sign of the transition of toxoplasmosis from acute to chronic form is enlarged lymph nodes. This normal reaction body to the spreading virus.

When there is an increase in lymph nodes, the performance of all organs decreases. In some cases, a virus may cause them to fail. In medical practice, there have been cases of death from infection with toxoplasmosis. This happens very rarely, but a parallel developing infection. It can also be said that sometimes the pathogenesis of chronic toxoplasmosis can be in a latent form.

Both in the acute course of the clinical picture and in its asymptomatic state, the patient experiences an enlargement of the lymph nodes. The danger of this form of toxoplasmosis lies in the fact that people rarely go to doctors due to a seemingly ordinary modification of the lymph nodes. Eventually, the virus can spread throughout the body and affect the brain.

Then it will be impossible to treat the disease without certain negative consequences.

If you notice any changes in the lymph nodes, you should immediately contact a specialist, as this will allow you to diagnose and begin to treat the harmful virus in advance.

As a result of studies of infected patients, it was found that toxoplasmosis also causes toxocariasis (a helminthic disease, the occurrence of which can be characterized by pneumonia, acute bronchitis or fever).

Despite the fact that the clinical picture of both diseases is similar, toxocariasis can develop independently and, along with toxoplasmosis, is considered less dangerous disease, since a pathogenic virus immediately shows symptoms when it affects the upper respiratory tract. It should be noted that the timely manifestation of symptoms will allow timely treatment of the disease.

It should also be noted that the infection can penetrate into the eyeball, where it “safely” begins to develop. When the virus reaches the maximum level of development, vision begins to decline sharply. If you do not begin to treat the disease, you can completely lose your vision.

But even a minimal degree of infection with toxoplasmosis can affect the process of formation of coordination organs and nervous system fetus

One of the most dangerous consequences toxoplasmosis, it should be noted that the most important body in the coordination of all vital processes of the body. When the virus infects the brain, toxoplasmosis and developing schizophrenia become comparable concepts.

During the pathogenesis of toxoplasmosis, protozoa cause damage to astrocytes at the cellular level, and there is a possibility of disruption of the functioning of neuroglial cells, which are responsible for the division and support of neurons. Exactly the same consequences can be observed in the development of schizophrenia.

It is also necessary to focus on the fact that in the presence of toxoplasmosis and detection of antibodies to it in the blood, pregnant women increase the likelihood of having a child predisposed to schizophrenia.

Toxoplasmosis is a disease that can be treated quite successfully along with other helminthiases. The only problem is the need for a strong healthy immune system, since immune system disease or lack thereof is a death sentence.

Toxoplasmosis occurs in only 5% of those infected with toxoplasma; in other cases, the disease is asymptomatic.

Toxoplasmosis poses the greatest danger to newborns, infants in the womb and to people with HIV.

In people with immunodeficiency, the consequences of toxoplasmosis manifest themselves in the form of myocarditis and encephalitis.

For the fetus early stages Toxoplasmosis is a fatal disease during pregnancy. Toxoplasma is transmitted through the mother's placenta. The consequences of infection on later may become congenital deformities.

In 90% of cases, congenital toxoplasmosis leads to the death of the fetus in the womb. initial stages development. Congenital infection with Toxoplasma during pregnancy or childbirth, which does not lead to fetal death, causes degenerative disorders of the nervous system.

Thus, children infected with toxoplasma most often have irreversible, pathological changes in the nervous system and visual organs.

The most common consequences of infection with toxoplasmosis in newborns are:

  • hydrocephalus;
  • blindness and pathological change organs of vision;
  • dementia;
  • deafness;
  • epilepsy;
  • autism;
  • immunodeficiency.

In order to detect toxoplasmosis, a blood test is taken to detect IgG antibodies. Often in pregnant women the test is false positive. In this case, blood testing for immunoglobulin G is repeated after 14 days for dynamic assessment. If a positive diagnosis is confirmed, doctors recommend termination of pregnancy, since the risk congenital anomalies in a child approaching 90% of the 10% of surviving children.

Survival of children with congenital toxoplasmosis depends on the period of infection. In the first trimester of pregnancy, the disease has the most severe consequences for the fetus. The likelihood of infection of the fetus from the mother decreases with increasing gestational age. The only source infection is placental blood flow mother who is a carrier of toxoplasma.

The longer the pregnancy, the less likely it is to have a natural abortion, but the probability of having a child with irreversible mutations is high.

If the fetus becomes infected during delivery of pregnancy, the consequences of toxoplasmosis will not be critical if the disease is detected in a timely manner.

Today, medicine makes it possible to fight toxoplasmosis even in newborns.

What are the risks of toxoplasmosis?

The danger of toxoplasmosis is that it is very difficult to notice the source of possible infection, and if one is in close proximity, it is difficult to avoid infection.

Once in the body, toxoplasma enters the lymph nodes with the lymph flow, affecting them. Starting to develop and multiply in the lymph nodes, they become the cause of lymphadenitis. After damage to the lymphatic system, Toxoplasma spreads throughout the body through the bloodstream, settling in organs and affecting them. The most vulnerable are the liver, spleen, organs of vision and brain, myocardium and muscle tissue.

Infected organ tissues, due to the inflammatory process, begin to die, becoming the cause of necrosis. The next stage is the formation of cysts surrounded by a vacuole shell, which reliably protects the cysts from the effects of antibiotics. While the cysts grow and multiply, causing inflammatory processes in tissues, the body begins to actively produce IgM, IgA, and IgG antibodies.

The cystic form is considered a chronic manifestation of the disease, since Toxoplasma can be in this state long time, multiplying until the vacuole bursts and oocysts with the bloodstream begin to infect new tissues and organs.

At this stage, the disease becomes acute, and toxoplasma is sensitive to targeted medications.

If a person's immune system is unable to produce antibodies to Toxoplasma, the nervous system, spinal cord, and brain are likely to be affected. Due to the development of local inflammatory foci in the central nervous system, irreversible changes occur in the nerve tissues, and a person begins to experience uncontrolled seizures of epilepsy. Death occurs in 85% of Toxoplasma infections in people with HIV.


How to prevent toxoplasmosis?

In order to avoid the irreversible consequences of toxoplasmosis, early pregnant women or those who are just planning a pregnancy, doctors strongly recommend getting tested for TORCH infections.

TORCH infections are deciphered in accordance with the Latin name of the diseases T (toxoplasmosis) - toxoplasmosis, O (others) - (syphilis, hepatitis B, other viruses and bacteria), R (rubella) - rubella, C (cytomegalovirus) - cytomegalovirus, H (herpes ) – herpis virus.

All of these diseases are deadly for the fetus in the womb.

Analysis for TORCH infection will show in any case positive result, since the mother was vaccinated in childhood, it is the quantitative analysis of titers that gives a clear idea of ​​what kind of immune response the body gave: a natural reaction to the pathogen or the presence of infection in the body.

If the mother has not been vaccinated, and the test is positive, this indicates that the disease was previously transmitted or occurs in a hidden, latent form.

Thus, when planning a pregnancy, you can take a preliminary test and get vaccinated, however, you need to check with your doctor about the time frame during which it is strictly forbidden to become pregnant. For different vaccinations - different period the duration of the development of immunity, which is so necessary for the unborn child.

  • central nervous system;
  • cardiovascular system;
  • lymphatic system;
  • gastrointestinal tract;
  • muscle tissue;
  • upper respiratory tract.

About half the world's population is infected with toxoplasma; the disease is most often diagnosed in densely populated regions with low level life. Adults easily tolerate infection; protozoa do not cause symptoms of illness in them. But when weak immunity develops acute infection or the person becomes a carrier.

Infection with toxoplasmosis occurs when eating meat products that have not undergone sufficient heat treatment. Protozoa can enter the body through fresh wounds and abrasions on the skin and mucous membranes. There is a vertical route of transmission from pregnant mother to child.

Toxoplasmosis is spread by cats; you can get sick through close contact with an animal, after cleaning a tray with excrement. pet. Children may come into contact with contaminated soil outdoors. In rare cases, the infection is transmitted during blood transfusions and organ transplants.

There are several stages of development of toxoplasma:

Clinical picture

Toxoplasmosis is classified into congenital and acquired. The second type of infection can occur in acute, chronic or hidden form. In most cases, the disease has a latent course. In the acute stage incubation period lasts 14–21 days.

Clinical manifestations of acquired acute toxoplasmosis:

  • high temperature (38–40°C);
  • chills, malaise;
  • lack of appetite;
  • enlarged liver, spleen;
  • aches in muscles and joints;
  • the appearance of a skin rash throughout the body, except for hairy areas;
  • enlarged lymph nodes.

In the process of life, Toxoplasma releases special toxins that cause allergic reaction. A papular rash appears on the skin, flesh-colored, red, or with hemorrhagic contents inside the vesicles. The entire body is affected, except for the feet, palms, and scalp.

The mild form of toxoplasmosis is not dangerous to humans. Symptoms resembling acute respiratory infections are observed: low-grade fever, malaise, symptoms go away on their own after 7–10 days. Minor hyperthermia also occurs in the chronic form of the disease; other manifestations of the infection are not clearly expressed. Patients lose weight and complain of aching pain in the abdomen, stool disorders, myalgia. Myositis, an inflammation of the muscles, is often diagnosed.

The danger of chronic toxoplasmosis lies in the development of severe complications:

  • myocarditis;
  • vegetative-vascular dystonia;
  • phobias;
  • neurasthenia;
  • schizophrenia;
  • epilepsy;
  • dementia.

Violations often occur on the part of endocrine system: impotence, disorder menstrual cycle, thyroid diseases.

When Toxoplasma affects the eyes, uveitis, conjunctivitis, retinitis develop, vision deteriorates, and the optic nerve is affected. In severe cases, the infection leads to complete blindness. If the complication develops from the side of cardio-vascular system, patients are concerned about rapid heartbeat, racing blood pressure, tachycardia, shortness of breath. Damage to the central nervous system causes insomnia, unstable psycho-emotional state, depression, increased irritability.

Congenital toxoplasmosis

If a pregnant woman is infected in the early stages, then intrauterine infection, which threatens miscarriage, fetal death, or the development of complications in the baby. Doctors recommend terminating the pregnancy. If toxoplasmosis is detected at a later stage, the child is born with defects of internal organs, developmental delays, and infant mortality occurs.

Symptoms of congenital toxoplasmosis in newborns:

  • low-grade body temperature;
  • generalized lymphadenopathy;
  • purple or burgundy skin rashes;
  • enlarged liver and spleen;
  • jaundice;
  • hemorrhages in the sclera of the eyes, mucous membranes;
  • diarrhea, vomiting.

The acute form of toxoplasmosis in children causes the development of neonatal pneumonia, meningoencephalitis, myocarditis, and can be fatal. The chronic course of the infection is dangerous due to complications such as hydrocephalus, eye damage, convulsive syndrome, and obstructive jaundice.

The surviving children are retarded mentally and physical development, suffer from nervous disorders, deafness, blindness. Sometimes congenital toxoplasmosis has a latent course and appears only at 2–7 years of age.

Diagnosis and treatment of toxoplasmosis

The doctor examines the patient, conducts a survey, and prescribes laboratory and instrumental tests.

Assessing the condition of internal organs requires ultrasound examination, general, biochemical analysis blood and urine. Pregnant women are required to undergo an ELISA test to determine antibodies in the blood.

Treatment of toxoplasmosis is required in acute forms of infection and the development of complications. Patients are prescribed chemotherapy drugs that have a detrimental effect on Toxoplasma. These drugs include Chloridine, Fansidar, Aminoquinol. Therapy has a large number of contraindications and often causes the development side effects Therefore, treatment is performed under the constant supervision of a doctor.

At inflammatory processes Antibiotics from the group of tetracyclines, macrolides, and sulfonamides (Biseptol, Linkamycin, Metronidazole) are prescribed. In pregnant women, therapy is permitted starting from the second trimester. For chronic toxoplasmosis, patients take immunomodulatory drugs (Cycloferon, Lavomax), antihistamines (Diazolin, Suprastin). Ultraviolet irradiation and toxoplasmin administration are performed.

Not many people know what toxoplasmosis is. Such an infectious disease does not entail negative consequences when it occurs in humans. However, there are exceptions. The disease poses a danger to pregnant women and young children. In others, the disease proceeds unnoticed. Many people have chronic toxoplasmosis in their bodies. The disease can also be acquired. Therefore, it is important to understand why it is dangerous for pregnant women and children, and whether negative consequences caused by toxoplasma in adult men and women are possible.

You can become infected with toxoplasmosis from a cat, and this poses a particular danger to the pregnant woman and the fetus.

Occurrence of infection

Humans are intermediate carriers of the disease. An infectious disease occurs due to the movement of Toxoplasma into the blood.

  • eating undercooked or completely raw meat products;
  • eating foods that have been contaminated with cat feces;
  • failure to comply with personal hygiene rules after cleaning the cat's litter box;
  • blood transfusion to a healthy patient from a carrier chronic form diseases;
  • organ transplantation to a healthy person from a carrier of toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasmosis and its causes are known to many pregnant girls. Transmission of the disease can also occur from mother to child. In this case, infection occurs through the placenta. Toxoplasmosis in women raises many questions. There is a misconception that infection can occur when a child drinks breast milk. Acute toxoplasmosis in pregnant women is extremely rare. However, it is in this case that infection can occur during breastfeeding. Transmission of the disease occurs when the patient develops cracks in the mammary glands. Directly via breast milk the infection cannot enter the child's body from the mother. Its transmission can only occur through blood.

Helminths can get to a person when cleaning the tray after a pet

Acute form of the disease

Toxoplasmosis Gondi - not many people know what it is. In order to independently diagnose the disease, you need to know its symptoms. If there are several signs of the disease, you will need to consult a specialist. The causative agent of toxoplasmosis rarely provokes the occurrence of pronounced symptoms in adults. In children, the infection is more noticeable.

Pronounced symptoms are also present in patients whose health is weakened various diseases, such as HIV, hepatitis and cancer.

Toxoplasmosis occurs noticeably most often in a person who takes various medications. There are many known forms of infection. There is toxoplasmosis of the brain, visual organs and central nervous system. There are chronic, congenital and acute forms of infection. The last of all the above rarely manifests itself.

People with toxoplasmosis often have a fever

In some cases, with an acute form of infection, symptoms may be present that allow you to independently diagnose it:

  • enlargement of the lymph nodes located in the armpit area; inflammation can also be observed in other parts of the body;
  • causeless increase in body temperature, usually it rises to 38-39 degrees;
  • body aches;
  • sudden loss of strength;
  • painful sensations in the right side;
  • enlargement of some organs.

Most often, the patient does not notice that there is a Gondi infection in the body - toxoplasmosis. The disease occurs without symptoms and does not require medical intervention. It goes away on its own after about a month.

With toxoplasmosis, enlarged lymph nodes may occur

Brain infection

Cerebral toxoplasmosis is a cerebral infection. In people with reduced immunity, the disease affects the central nervous system. These include patients with AIDS and other diseases that negatively affect immune system. In this case, characteristic symptoms arise:

  • spasms in the head area;
  • daily deterioration of health;
  • causeless increase in body temperature;
  • the appearance of a feeling that skin or insects move under it;
  • paralysis of some parts of the body;
  • in the most severe cases, the infected person may fall into a lethargic sleep.

Toxoplasma can infect the human brain

If at least a few symptoms occur, you should urgently seek help from a specialist. The doctor will tell you why toxoplasmosis is dangerous and prescribe effective drugs for the treatment of a disease.

Animal toxoplasmosis, which is transmitted to humans and affects the brain, can be either congenital or acquired. In the second case, the infection has an incubation period that lasts from several days to two weeks. In the first days, the patient experiences only general weakness. His condition is gradually deteriorating. The temperature rises and a skin rash appears. It affects all areas of the body except:

  • scalp;
  • heels and feet;
  • palms.

The disease causes damage to almost all internal organs. The infection begins to provoke the onset of symptoms unexpectedly. The patient suddenly develops a fever and may experience memory problems. There may be signs of intoxication in the body.

The chronic form of the disease can cause visual impairment

Chronic toxoplasmosis occurs when the patient loses symptoms of the acute form. It can be either primary or secondary. It flows throughout long period time. In chronic toxoplasmosis, exacerbations are periodically observed. With this form of infectious disease, the patient experiences the following symptoms:

  • significant memory impairment;
  • bloating;
  • vomiting reflex;
  • pain in the stomach;
  • constipation;
  • deterioration of the visual organs.

Toxoplasmosis during pregnancy

Toxoplasmosis occurs as often in men as in women. However, for representatives of the fairer sex it poses a particular danger during pregnancy. A woman who has the disease can pass it on to her child in utero.

Toxoplasmosis in women can cause more serious pathologies and diseases. It is most dangerous for a woman and her unborn child in the early stages of pregnancy. In this case, an infectious disease may cause premature birth. Another negative consequence, which can provoke toxoplasmosis during pregnancy in a woman - fetal death.

Newborns with congenital toxoplasmosis most often die some time after birth. This is due to the fact that they are quite susceptible to infectious diseases. In some cases, congenital toxoplasmosis may not manifest itself immediately after birth, but after some time.

If a pregnant woman is infected with toxoplasmosis, the fetus is likely to die

The main symptoms that indicate the presence of congenital toxoplasmosis in an infant include:

  • partial or complete hearing loss;
  • jaundice;
  • skin rashes in the form of nodules;
  • enlargement of some internal organs;
  • incorrect proportions of the skull;
  • delayed psychological development.

Toxoplasmosis and its symptoms, etymology, as well as other information about the disease causes ordinary people a lot of questions. Many women are unaware of this disease, despite the danger of its occurrence during pregnancy. Congenital toxoplasmosis in an infant can cause complete loss of vision. Symptoms of visual impairment remain unnoticed over a long period of time. By virtue of small age, the child cannot tell his parents about the occurrence of discomfort.

A child's hearing problems may indicate toxoplasmosis.

If signs of the disease appear, you will need to urgently seek help from a pediatrician. He will tell you whether toxoplasmosis can be cured and what kind of infection it is.

Toxoplasmosis of the organs of vision

Eye toxoplasmosis occurs no less frequently than other types of disease. Experts believe that this late manifestation congenital infection. It occurs most often in schoolchildren and young adults. You can diagnose the disease yourself by the presence of the following symptoms:

  • sharp pain in the organs of vision;
  • significant decrease in vision;
  • “fog” effect in the eyes;
  • bright flashes before the eyes;
  • on last stage the patient may experience infection complete absence vision.

Toxoplasmosis can also affect the eyes

Schizophrenia and toxoplasmosis

Gondi toxoplasmosis and schizophrenia are, at first glance, two completely different diseases. However, an infectious agent that enters the body can provoke the appearance of a mental disorder. Toxoplasma most severely affects the brain, gradually destroying vital cells and disrupting various processes.

Toxoplasmosis can trigger the development of schizophrenia in humans

With toxoplasmosis, the patient may experience not only schizophrenia, but also Parkinson's disease. Other mental disorders may also be present.

Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease that rarely negatively affects healthy person. Infection may cause significant changes in the body if the patient is a pregnant woman or a person with disorders of the nervous system. In this situation, when the first symptoms occur, you will need to immediately contact medical institution for help. The doctor will refer the patient for tests and prescribe the safest and most effective treatment.

The video will talk about toxoplasmosis:

How has this been done since ancient times?
And in life everything happens
He will sneak up unnoticed
When you're not expecting it at all.
I. Irtenev

Toxoplasmosis- a disease whose causative agent is neither a virus nor a bacteria. It is caused by Toxoplasma, a widespread “beast” in nature, a representative of the protozoan type.
Public awareness of what protozoa are is, as a rule, limited to information obtained in high school. The harmless and entertaining ciliate slipper is simple, moves its eyelashes cutely and evokes nothing but sympathy (especially if you don’t have to explain to the teacher what’s inside).
Toxoplasma, under a microscope, is also quite pretty, reminding, however, not of a shoe, but of an orange slice, but that’s where all the positive comparisons end. In Latin it is called Toxoplasma gondii- in honor of the Gondi rodent living either in Tunisia or Algeria, in which Toxoplasma was first discovered back in 1908.
Since that time, we have been able to learn almost everything about toxoplasma - how it reproduces, how infection is transmitted, how the disease develops. Known symptoms, methods of treatment and prevention. But there are no fewer patients with toxoplasmosis - perhaps because very few people have information. Let's join together to a narrow circle dedicated.

Let's sum it up preliminary results.
Toxoplasmosis is a widespread disease in humans and animals. To confirm this, we cite the fact that up to 70% of the population can be infected with toxoplasma, and 50% is almost the norm. At the same time, 99.99....% of those infected have never experienced, are not experiencing, and are unlikely to ever experience anything bad in this regard.

Now the most important.
Toxoplasmosis poses a real, really real, really probable and very (!) serious danger when a woman who has not previously been in contact with Toxoplasma becomes infected during pregnancy. This danger does not apply to the pregnant woman, but to the fetus. Toxoplasma can cross the placenta and cause illness in an unborn baby. The severity of fetal damage is closely related to the timing of pregnancy - the younger the fetus, the more severe the disease, which is called congenital toxoplasmosis. The severity of the disease (especially when infected in the first three months of pregnancy) is so great that fetal death occurs. But more often, a child is born with very severe damage to the nervous system (primarily the brain), eyes, liver, and spleen.
The fact that the permeability of the placenta for toxoplasma changes is also significant - the higher the gestational age, the higher the permeability. Thus, if infected in the first three months of pregnancy, the probability that the placenta “fails to cope” and Toxoplasma infects the fetus is about 15%. In the second trimester, the risk increases to 25%, in the third - almost 70%.
Congenital toxoplasmosis has different forms, sometimes its manifestations after the birth of a child are absent (or rather not detected), and later visual impairment and mental retardation (often very pronounced) dot the i’s sad diagnostic points.
If during pregnancy a woman is diagnosed with Toxoplasma infection, then, of course, emergency treatment is carried out. But congenital toxoplasmosis is very tragic in its consequences. And, sad as it may be, any treatment only reduces the likelihood of extremely severe damage to the fetus (by about half), but does not at all guarantee that everything will be fine. There is very little chance of giving birth to a full-fledged person - such a child will have arms and legs, but there is no hope for an intact brain and normal eyes- almost not.
The only consolation is the fact that toxoplasmosis damage to the fetus can occur only once (only during one pregnancy). All subsequent children will be reliably protected by the resulting antibodies.
It is not surprising that toxoplasmosis in pregnant women, taking into account the complete futility of treating a born child, is considered as a direct indication for its (pregnancy) termination, of course, with the consent of the pregnant woman herself.
Nature itself actively takes care to prevent birth; with early infection, a miscarriage almost always occurs. But if there is a threat of failure, doctors can now save almost any pregnancy, and hence it is very important that, along with treatment, appropriate examination.
The examination is generally a separate topic, because the amount of stress and threats of failure that arose due to incorrect interpretation of the results is surprisingly high.
But in reality, everything is not so difficult.
Many methods for diagnosing toxoplasmosis have been developed, but the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is rightfully recognized as the most reliable. The essence of this method is the determination of specific antibodies to Toxoplasma, which not only gives an answer to the question whether they (antibodies) exist or not, but also their (antibody) quantity is determined.
In order to correctly understand the results of ELISA, you should have not particularly complex knowledge from the field of physiology. The fact is that immediately after infection, the body begins to produce special antibodies (immunoglobulins), which are called IgM (they are also called early antibodies). They remain (and are detected) in the blood for a maximum of a year, but often even less, and then disappear, never to appear again. After IgM, IgG appears in the blood, which persists throughout subsequent human life.
It is not difficult to imagine that:

    if IgM is detected, then the person became infected recently;

    if IgG is detected and IgM is absent, then we are talking about the fact that the person has already developed immunity to Toxoplasma, since the infection occurred in the past;

    More difficult to interpret options are also possible. For example, IgG and a small amount of IgM were detected. In this case, the study is repeated after 2 weeks - if the amount of IgG has increased, it means that the active development of immunity continues, if it remains at the same level, then the disease is already in the past (just in the not very distant past).

Interpretation of ELISA results in newborns has its own specifics, but, in turn, allows us to answer the question of the presence or absence congenital toxoplasmosis.
Theoretically, in a civilized society, pregnancy is a planned phenomenon. And testing for toxoplasmosis “before” is very desirable and very advisable. Because the intensity of preventive measures greatly depends on the relationship between the expectant mother’s body and Toxoplasma.
If IgG is detected, this is a reason to breathe a sigh of relief, since the fetus will be reliably protected during pregnancy. If IgM is a “fresh” infection, you need to wait until conception. If antibodies are not detected, be careful, firmly understand infection prevention measures and strictly follow them.
Unfortunately, in our geographical area, planning a pregnancy is the exception rather than the rule. But it won’t hurt to know and understand the significance of the examination results described above even during pregnancy. Only when IgM is detected, you no longer have to wait, but make very responsible and often very unpleasant decisions.
Mentioned by us preventive actions in general, are obvious and logically follow from the methods of infection already described. At the same time, listing them may not be superfluous (which, by and large, is true for any infection):

    exclude unheated meat from food;

    do not try raw minced meat;

    Without sparing soap and time, wash your hands after working with meat, after working in the field and garden;

    wash fruits, vegetables and herbs most thoroughly;

    examine and, if necessary, treat, or even easier - remove the cat from the house.

These are, so to speak, individual preventive measures that allow a woman who does not have immunity to protect the fetus during pregnancy. At the same time, more global actions are also relevant, with the goal of reducing the spread of Toxoplasma in nature. These actions are most closely related to cats. The latter are divided into domestic and homeless. Domestic animals are treated and examined, street animals are caught and, despite the protests of animal lovers, they are trying (obviously unsuccessfully) to eliminate them as a class.
In relation to homemade Murka, exclusion from the diet is useful raw meat, it is desirable (mandatory) to regularly disinfect her sand toilet.
Since the complete eradication of stray cats is unlikely, it is a good idea to pay attention to children's sandboxes. Theoretically, sanitary inspection authorities are required to regularly examine and disinfect the sand, but it is more correct not to rely on an aunt in a white coat, but to organize the covering of sandboxes with plastic film or wooden shields (if there are children and there are no cats, the covering can be removed).
A few words about treatment. Some drugs (antibiotics, sulfonamides, etc.) have pronounced activity against toxoplasma. Quantity medicines not particularly large, but there is still a choice. For both humans and animals, appropriate treatment regimens have been developed, which are usually long-term - several courses and certain combinations of drugs are used.
The effectiveness of treatment is high only in acute toxoplasmosis, but leaves much to be desired (to put it mildly) in chronic infection, concomitant immunodeficiency, and intrauterine infection.
Hence the urgent need think more often about preventive actions. Because congenital toxoplasmosis, terrible in its consequences, is surprisingly easy to prevent, and you don’t need much to do this - you want to get information and follow basic rules personal hygiene.

Comments 37

07/11/2012 23:08

vimb Ukraine, Dnepropetrovsk

Good evening! Please tell me, at week 13 I was diagnosed with IgG 371 and IgM 1.2. The gynecologist prescribed me to take an antibiotic starting at 16 weeks. How can all this threaten my child? With my second child and with my first, IgG was also detected, but there was no IgM. Please answer my question! Thank you!!!

12/09/2015 16:12

Kazakhstan, Astana

Hello, I am 14-15 weeks pregnant. I tested for TORCH infection for the first time at the end of the 9th week, toxoplasmosis result was IgM-negative, IgG-63,190 IU/ml, IgG avidity-13.8%. Blood by PCR for Toxoplasma DNA is negative, and PCR smear for Toxoplasma DNA is negative. Retested after four weeks: IgM negative, IgG 75,790 IU/ml (the number of antibodies increased by 20%), avidity 35.1% (increased 2.5 times), DNA in the blood negative. Please tell me what these results mean? Is it possible that the infection occurred a month or two before pregnancy and the IgM antibodies disappeared? If infection occurred earlier, why is avidity so low? Is it possible to say only by avidity that the infection is recent? Is it necessary to do amniocentesis with such results? Thank you!

26/08/2014 20:08

Novosibirsk, Russia

Hello! Please consult! I was tested for TORCH INFECTIONS. In particular, I am interested in the following results
Toxoplasma Ig M 0.3
less than 0.9 negative
0.9-1.1 doubtful
more than 1.1 positive
Toxoplasma Ig G 0.7 IU/ml
less than 15 negative
more than 15 positive
Ig G avidity to Toxoplasma 0.0%
0-15 fresh primary infection
15-30 recurrent infection
30-100 transferred in the past

I have a cat's entire life and far from being alone...

14/08/2013 23:52

Mawa Ukraine, Uzhgorod

Good evening! Tell me please, I'm 15 weeks pregnancy, and doctors found IgG 181, and IgM negative. The doctor said that this is dangerous, that if this indicator increases, then you need to get pregnant, and sometimes they say that you need to terminate the pregnancy. I beg you, answer my question: what could this mean for me and my child? Thank you!

08/03/2013 15:56

Ukraine, Kharkov

Beware, dear pregnant women, not only of cats, especially domestic cats that are not fed raw meat. Beware of dogs that are brought in from the street on their paws, fur, and even on their faces - and cysts with toxoplasma and others uninvited guests. I grew up in sandboxes, cats always lived at home, and only I cleaned after them, they walked along the street and caught mice, and my beloved childhood friend - German Shepherd. When taking tests during pregnancy, I was VERY surprised by my lack of immunity to toxoplasma! I read everything I could about toxoplasmosis and took all the measures:
1. I prayed to the Almighty.
2. As before, I continued not to feed the cats raw meat and not to walk them outside.
3. I cleaned up after cats (and I have two of them) wearing rubber gloves immediately after the cat pooped. Although rubber gloves are here only to calm the nerves, since even infected droppings become really dangerous only after 2 weeks, when cysts form. cat litter box washed daily hot water, and a couple of times a week - white.
4. I paid special attention to the entrance to the apartment. To prevent curious cats from constantly poking their noses at the shoes, which can easily bring home anything, including toxoplasma, after wet cleaning I sprayed the area with citrus fruits essential oils. Cats cannot stand this smell. And my family really liked this reception. It's nice to come home and inhale the aroma of orange or bergamot.
5. Naturally, there is a separate board for cutting raw meat.
6. If someone’s dog sniffed me on the street, I immediately sent these clothes to the wash.
7. Wash your hands!
8. Don't be afraid, because fear makes trouble inevitable. In general, it is contraindicated for pregnant women to be nervous.
I wish all pregnant women, and especially children, to be healthy and happy!