Many young people keep cats and dogs to enrich their emotional lives, relieve the pressure caused by work, and thereby promote physical and mental health. Pets have become their life partners. But when they plan to get married or have children, some people will suggest that they give their pets to others because they are afraid that pregnant women will be infected with toxoplasmosis. Many owners are unwilling and reluctant to break up with their babies, but they are worried that the health of the fetus will be affected. For a time, they were in a dilemma.

In fact, as long as you pay attention to scientific protection and hygiene, you can have both cats and dogs and healthy babies. So what should they do? Before the hostess becomes pregnant, she can do a test called TORCH, which will find out whether the expectant mother is infected with Toxoplasma gondii. The word TORCH is composed of the first letters of the English names of several pathogens. The letter T stands for Toxoplasma gondii.

If the TORCH test shows that you have been infected with Toxoplasma gondii, you don’t need to worry, because the hostess has already produced antibodies in her body, so it doesn’t matter. If it shows that you have never been infected, it means that you have no immunity in your body. Then you should pay attention to the way you feed your pet and your own dietary hygiene throughout the pregnancy.

If the result shows that you are infected, you cannot get pregnant for the time being. However, if in the early stages of pregnancy (within 3 months), the owner's TORCH test shows that the infection is ongoing, the pregnancy must be terminated, because infection with Toxoplasma gondii at this time will have a more serious impact on the development of the fetus.

The gynecology department of general tertiary-level hospitals in China can provide TORCH testing. The main infection route of toxoplasmosis We know that human toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by Toxoplasma gondii parasitizing the human body, and it is relatively common around the world. Almost all mammals and birds can be infected with Toxoplasma gondii.

The main source of infection for humans is eating the meat of these animals, especially raw meat. For example, when eating shabu-shabu meat, the temperature is not enough or the time is too short, and the chopping board used to cut raw meat is used to handle cooked food at the same time; and, eating Unpasteurized dairy products, unwashed or raw vegetables and fruits can also cause infection.

Cats and Toxoplasma gondii Toxoplasma gondii lives on the intestinal mucosa of cats, and cats are the final host of Toxoplasma gondii. Feces produced by cats infected with Toxoplasma gondii can transmit Toxoplasma gondii to humans. However, after the eggs are excreted, they may not become infectious until at least 24 hours later.

Therefore, if the feces is cleaned in time every day, the chance of infection will be reduced. What's more, cats excrete Toxoplasma gondii eggs in their feces only once in their lives, that is, after they are first infected with Toxoplasma gondii. So doctors thought it was unlikely that they happened to shed the organism during a woman's pregnancy.

A survey by the Cat Lovers Association of America (CFA) shows that in terms of the source of human infection, the degree of infection of Toxoplasma gondii from cat feces is actually not more serious than when people eat undercooked meat. Domestic cats may be infected with Toxoplasma gondii throughout their lives. The route of infection isUsually by eating dead rats, moles, squirrels or other infected small animals. Cats that live entirely indoors and have never been exposed to rats may never become infected.

Dogs and Toxoplasma gondii Dogs are the intermediate host of Toxoplasma gondii and can also be infected with Toxoplasma gondii. However, their feces and excrement are not contagious, so you will not be infected with toxoplasmosis simply by contact with dogs. Adults and Toxoplasma gondii Most adults infected with Toxoplasma gondii have no obvious symptoms, or the symptoms are very mild. Some may experience flu-like fever, runny nose, swollen lymph nodes, headache, muscle and joint pain, and abdominal pain. Mild symptoms, after a few days, the body naturally develops immunity, the symptoms disappear and the disease heals itself.