Birth defects...Parasite from Cats

Birth defects...Parasite from Cats

Brought to U....http://successgain.us    and   http://successgain.info


My memories
Birth defects...Parasite from Cats
Posted in 2013

The domestic cat and the rise of agriculture have spread a parasite that causes devastating birth defects in humans, according to a study published yesterday.

More than a quarter of the world's population is now infected with toxoplasma gondii, a relative of the malaria bug.

Infected people with weakened immunity often develop acute toxoplasmosis, which can lead to birth defects, brain inflammation and vision problems.

It has also been suggested that the parasite, which invades the brain, may influence behaviour and trigger schizophrenia.

An Anglo-American team reported yesterday in the journal Science how the organism came to infest almost all animals.

Although it can sexually reproduce only in cats, the creature mutated so it could asexually reproduce in a vast range of warm-blooded hosts, including humans.

Dr David Sibley and colleagues at Washington University, St Louis, Cambridge University and the University of Georgia claim that the three main strains of the toxoplasma arise from a single mating about 10,000 years ago.

This allowed these parasites to abstain from sex and made being eaten an attractive option, so they could easily invade any warm-blooded creature.

The timing of the rise of this asexual form is significant, said Dr Jim Ajioka, of Cambridge University. As the more infectious bug emerged, agriculture developed and animals such as cats were domesticated.

Until recently, scientists had thought that the parasite was usually harmless, a cause for concern only to pregnant women and people with a weakened immune system, such as Aids and transplant patients.

It has published in The Telegraph, on 18th January 2013

My advise

1...  While you are pregnant you should take care of your health and keep your self away from pet animals like cats, dogs etc...

2...   That's because cat feces (and soil or sand where cats have been) can carry a parasitic infection called toxoplasmosis. If you get toxoplasmosis while you're pregnant, or even a few months before you conceive, it can cause serious birth defects such as eye and brain damage.
3...   If you are a cat owner or lover, you have probably heard the scary warning: ''Cats endanger a woman's health: they cause infertility and even miscarriage”. ... In some cases, a miscarriage or stillborn birth might occur. Since toxoplasmosis can be transmitted via contact with cat faeces, many women are told to avoid cats
4....  It's tough to do, but possible. So, your pet cat should be perceived as very low risk to you during pregnancy. ... The parasite may be present in the dirt (from cat feces) and inadvertent infection may occur (again, fecal-oral route). This is probably how other animals acquire the infection as well.
5.....Cats acquire the infection from eating other animals, primarily rodents, already infected with the parasite. Outdoor cats are therefore at the greatest risk. After initial infection, they only shed the parasite, meaning they are only infectious, for about two weeks. Therefore, older cats or cats that spend much of their time outdoors may have already shed the parasite and are less likely to pose a risk. Indoor cats too may become infected if fed raw meat. If a cat is strictly confined to the home and fed carefully then there is really no risk at all. Infection is spread via the fecal-oral route. That is, the parasite is excreted in the cat’s feces and can only be contracted by oral ingestion. It’s tough to do, but possible
6...  When you wants to conceive you should not keep cats or dogs in your home.   Protect your self from infections etc...

Brought to U ....  http://successgain.us