How to deal with a brain-injured child

How toxoplasmosis is contracted
Felines -- both domestic and wild cats -- carry Toxoplasma gondii. When a cat or something else containing the parasite, oocysts (highly infectious forms of the parasite) are formed in the cat's intestine and are eliminated with the feces. These oocysts contain highly infectious sporozoites that can remain in soil for up to a year and in water for at least six months. People who eat fruit or vegetables that have come in contact with contaminated soil, or meat from animals (cows, sheep, pigs, etc.) contaminated with oocysts, can become infected.

Toxoplasmosis can be detected with a blood test that checks for antibodies to the parasite. In countries like France, national screening programs test all pregnant women monthly. If the parasite is detected, treatment begins immediately to eliminate the active form of the parasite.

According to the Canadian Medical Journal, up to 1,400 cases of congenital toxoplasmosis are reported in the country every year. Since this is considered a relatively low incidence, screening for the disease is not a part of routine prenatal or newborn care in Canada. Instead, increased awareness and education about the risk factors of the disease is widely considered the most effective method of prevention.

Preventive tips
If you are pregnant, take the following precautionary measures.
• Avoid raw or cured meats.
• Use hot, soapy water to thoroughly wash anything that comes in contact with raw meat, including cutting boards, knives, other utensils -- and your hands.
• Cook meat until there's no trace of pink, the juices run clear and the meat reaches an internal temperature of 71 C (161 F), or well done.
• Wash all fruit and veggies thoroughly under running water or use a vegetable wash (Canadian brands such as Nature Clean and Echo Clean are widely available in natural food stores), particularly if you're planning to eat the food raw.
• Avoid raw goat's milk products, including goat cheese.
• Garden with gloves: (have you ever seen the neighbour's kitty use a flowerbed as a latrine?).
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after working outdoors in soil or sand; cover your children's sandbox to keep felines out.
• At home, have someone clean and dispose of the contents of the cat's litter box.

Page 5 of 5