How are you doing the just-passed Spring Festival holiday? As a shoveler, the editor has received many "instructions" from his elders. While urging marriage and raising children, he also reminded him, "If you can give away those cats in your family, you can give them away, otherwise what should I do if I get pregnant in the future?" You see, it's 2024, and there are still many people who believe in the rumors that "you can't raise cats when you are pregnant". Today Xixi will talk to you about raising cats during pregnancy! Is it true that raising cats can cause fetal malformations?
The statement that there is really a basis for this, and the culprit is Toxoplasma gondii. If a pregnant woman is infected with Toxoplasma gondii, it may enter the fetus through the placenta. If it is an infection in the early stage of pregnancy, it may lead to premature birth, miscarriage, fetal malformation, stillbirth, etc. Infection in the late stage of pregnancy may cause sequelae of the fetus several years after birth. As the only terminal host of Toxoplasma gondii, cats are also the only animal that excretes Toxoplasma gondii ovum sacs in feces. When these feces contaminate food, drinking water, soil, etc., parasites will be spread.
Therefore, the elders' worries make sense, but as the new generation of shit shovelers, we cannot compromise on this. We have to continue to argue and seek justice for our kittens!
(Toxoplasma gondii under a microscope)
Will raising cats be infected with Toxoplasma gondii?
Of course, it is not necessary, because it requires many conditions to infect Toxoplasma gondii through domestic cats: first of all, the cat must eat raw meat that is infected with Toxoplasma gondii cysts or oocysts, and if a cat who has never been infected with Toxoplasma gondii before, it will excrete oocysts through feces within 3 to 20 days; the oocysts hatch in the environment for 1 to 5 days, becoming infectious sporulinized oocysts; and at this time the shoveler happened to touch the feces containing the oocysts, and eat directly without washing hands, or the cat rubs the bait on the food utensil, which may cause the oocysts to enter the human body and start to proliferate.
So you see, the following conditions must be met when infected with Toxoplasma gondii through domestic cats:
① Cats will come into contact with contaminated raw meat or other birds, mice, etc. that may carry egg eggs;
② Cats have never been infected before;
③ The shoveler did not clean the bait in time, giving the egg sac an opportunity and an opportunity to hatch;
④ The shoveler directly contacted the bait and ate without washing his hands or the bait contaminated the food.
For cats in the city who have basically no chance to go out, it is quite harsh to meet the above conditions at the same time, so it is really not the main way to get infected with Toxoplasma gondii through domestic cats!
What other infection pathways does Toxoplasma gondii gondii gondii have?
As a widely distributed pathogenic organ around the world, Toxoplasma gondii can infect various animals including humans, cats, dogs, pigs, cattle, sheep, etc., and may exist in animals for a long time as tissue encapsulation. Therefore, the most common infection pathway is to eat undercooked animal meat with Toxoplasma gondii (also including drinking contaminated raw water, dairy products, etc.); in addition, if a dog who often goes out accidentally gets infected with insect eggs in the wild, it is also possible for the owner to be infected.
Therefore, due to dietary habits and the number of free-range pets, the infection rate in European and American countries is generally high, and the infection rate in some areas is even as high as 60%. my country is accustomed to cooking food at high temperatures and keeps pets at home in cities, so the infection rate is relatively low. In the early years, statistical data inferred that the infection rate of Toxoplasma gondii in my country's population was about 8%.
How do you know if you are infected?
A friend will definitely say that the 8% infection rate is not low. For cat owners who are preparing for pregnancy, how can they check if they are infected?
Given that Toxoplasma gondii has a wide range of infection and its symptoms are hidden, experts recommend that women who have pregnancy plans undergo quantitative tests for Toxoplasma serological antibody IgM/IgG at least three months before pregnancy preparation.
○If the test results show that you have been infected before pregnancy and have been cured ("IgG+" and "IgM-",), then you can prepare for pregnancy with confidence, because this means you have immunity and don't have to be afraid of Toxoplasma gondii;
○If the test results show that you have been infected recently ("IgG+" and "IgM+"), then you should pay attention. You can seek treatment advice from a professional doctor and wait for at least 6 months before preparing for pregnancy;
○If the test results show that you have not been infected ("IgG-" and "IgM-"), you can also prepare for pregnancy normally. You must take good protection during pregnancy and conduct the above examination regularly according to the doctor's advice.
After reading these, are you feeling more confident? For the expectant mothers who withstand the pressure and do not give up on cats, Xixi not only gives you a thumbs up, but also has some warm reminders to allow you to spend your pregnancy more peacefully!
Preventing Toxoplasma gondii "three musts and three do not"
○ Regular deworming of pets (reduce the impact of other parasites on cats and humans)
○ Clean the cat litter box every day and clean and disinfect regularly (families with conditions should not let pregnant women clean the litter box better)
○ Wash your hands frequently (before and after meals, after shoveling the cake, after handling raw meat, after gardening activities... It is absolutely right to wash your hands more!)
○ Try not to raise free cats
○ Expectant mothers do not recommend contacting stray animals
○ Do not eat unquarantined and treated meat, dairy products, etc. (cats and humans are the same)
For families who intend to adopt cats, if there is a pregnancy plan in the near future, Xixi also recommends that everyone be very cautious and be able to withstand the pressures that may be caused by raising a cat before considering adopting. After all, you must be responsible for a life!