Imagine the shock of having your baby born with brain swelling, blindness and debilitating seizures — then imagine what it would be like to find out that these dire conditions could have been prevented if they had been screened for a simple test for common parasites. Toxoplasma.
Toxoplasma It can be transmitted anywhere an infected cat has excreted, such as in a litter box, a sandbox, in a garden or backyard, etc. Other ways of infection include contaminated water and eating undercooked meat or shellfish.
Most people experience mild symptoms and are able to control the infection.
However, if the infection first occurs during pregnancy, Toxoplasma It can cross the placenta and cause spontaneous abortions or severe birth defects. Congenital toxoplasmosis.
Up to 4,400 babies Each year in the United States, babies may be born with congenital toxoplasmosis.
As Professor of Microbiology At Indiana University School of Medicine, Toxoplasma In my lab. Blood test You can monitor the amount Toxoplasma antibody In parents.
An increase indicates acute infection and places the fetus at risk for congenital toxoplasmosis. Antiparasitic drugs given promptly Vaccinating pregnant women who have had toxoplasmosis can protect their unborn babies from the worst outcomes of congenital toxoplasmosis.
In some countries, such as France and Austria, Testing and treatment for toxoplasmosis It has been done during pregnancy for decades, and a similar program was recently launched in Brazil.
but, Toxoplasma In the United States, prenatal screening does not include the test.
Why should I be tested for toxoplasmosis during pregnancy?
Toxoplasma It spreads widely and causes latent infection. 40 million American adults Babies infected with the parasite are known to be susceptible to infection, and because infection usually does not cause obvious symptoms, many mothers of infected babies I can’t remember when or how They were infected.
Studies from several countries have demonstrated the benefits of detecting and treating toxoplasmosis during pregnancy.
First Randomization Clinical Trials To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of treatments to reduce prenatal Toxoplasma infection; Toxo Guestpublished their findings in 2018. Although the trial was stopped due to lack of funding, the results suggested that treatment not only reduced transmission but also reduced the severity of outbreak infections.
a Meta-analysis Thirty-three studies published between 2017 and 2021 also found that pregnant women given the antibiotic spiramycin Parasitic infection rates significantly reduced The impact on the fetus is greater than for mothers who do not receive treatment.
For Dr. Jose Montoya, a toxoplasmosis researcher and clinician, Sutter Health Remington Research InstituteThe value of screening is clear: “In countries that implement prenatal screening for toxoplasmosis, Congenital toxoplasmosis is much less severe “It’s higher than what we routinely see in the United States,” he said.
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Congenital toxoplasmosis may be more common than thought
Some argue that congenital toxoplasmosis is too rare to warrant prenatal testing, but the United States currently tests for diseases that are even rarer than toxoplasmosis. Phenylketonuria, etc..
The incidence of congenital toxoplasmosis may also be underestimated. Currently, toxoplasmosis is Diseases that require notification to the government In the United States, most states do not monitor or report the infection during pregnancy, so researchers don’t know how many miscarriages it causes. Toxoplasma Or how many children are suffering from infectious diseases.
A 2021 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states: Deficiencies in toxoplasmosis surveillance in the United States.Regular standardized testing during pregnancy would provide important data to assess the extent of this threat to babies, they say, and would also provide researchers with information about the causes. High rate Stillborn In the United States, disproportionately impacts black women.
Some researchers warn Toxoplasma The prevalence is Free-range and organic foods are becoming more popular and Climate Change.
Free-ranging animals are more susceptible to infectious diseases Toxoplasma The oocysts live outdoors in pastures and water sources, likely contaminated by cat feces. Facilitating the persistence and spread of oocysts Environmental impacts – for example, increased soil erosion leading to the pollution of waterways.
moreover, Extremely toxic Toxoplasma Strains Migration from South America may exacerbate the severity of congenital toxoplasmosis infection in the United States.
Cost of toxoplasmosis during pregnancy
“This disease not only takes a huge physical and mental toll, but it also takes a huge economic toll,” he said. Dr. Rima McLeodDirector of the Toxoplasma Center at the University of Chicago.
A 2011 study by MacLeod estimated that following the French model of prenatal screening and treatment could save U.S. taxpayers money. $620 per child, or $2.5 billion per year.
Researchers are also developing new techniques to alleviate concerns about the cost of testing.
MacLeod’s team Low-cost finger-prick tests To detect Toxoplasma Within 30 minutes. Other researchers Saliva testing.
How to avoid toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasma Congenital toxoplasmosis causes severe, lifelong neurological and visual impairments in hundreds of babies born in the United States each year. Prenatal Testing and Treatment Protocols It’s safe and easy to do.
“The people who conducted the clinical trials of Toxogest placebo “Not monitoring and treating congenital toxoplasmosis was deemed unethical, so controls were tightened,” Montoya said.
“Yet today, pregnant women in the United States are being relegated to placebo groups, denying them a simple, low-cost treatment that could potentially save their babies from birth defects.”
In the absence of systematic prenatal testing for congenital toxoplasmosis, the best that pregnant women can do is Be aware of risk factorsIf you are pregnant, avoid cleaning cat litter boxes or areas where your cat may have defecate. Wash fruits and vegetables before eating. Cook meat products to the appropriate temperature.
Bill SullivanProfessor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University
This article is reprinted from conversation Published under a Creative Commons license. Original Article.
