Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease
found in people and animals such as cats,
dogs, pigs, mice…etc. Toxoplasmosis is
caused by a parasite called "Toxoplasma
gondii".
The infection is mainly transmitted via
fecal-oral transmission which means that
the parasite must migrate from the
animal’s stool to somehow reach the
human mouth. Toxoplasmosis infection can
be also transmitted through damaged skin
that has been in contact with animal
secretions.
In most cases an infection with toxoplasma
gondii passes without symptoms. In rare
cases it can manifest with a fever, rash,
bad general condition, cardiac,
respiratory and nerve symptoms that
usually end with death.
A special form of toxoplasmosis is the
congenital form. Congenital toxoplasmosis
occurs when pregnant woman get infected
with Toxoplasma gondii. In these cases the
mother is not affected but the fetus is
damaged. Prognosis of congenital
toxoplasmosis is quite bad. Most of babies
infected with congenital toxoplasmosis die
before birth (miscarriage) or soon after
birth. Those that will survive have severe
neurological and psychical disorders:
epilepsy, cerebral paralysis, mental
retardation etc.
There is no efficient prevention of
toxoplasmosis except to avoid contacts
with animals especially for pregnant
women. In your case, you might consider
asking somebody else to take care of your
dog.
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