When we hear big words like toxoplasmosis or listeriosis We tend to get scared before understanding what it is or what it does. Sounds serious, then it must be and that is enough to be afraid at a stage as sensitive as pregnancy. The alternative is to read about it, inform yourself, and breathe easy as future parents of a healthy little.
What are toxoplasmosis and listeriosis?
They are two different diseases caused by a protozoan called Toxoplasma dongii in the case of toxoplasmosis and by a bacterium called Listeria monocytogenes in the case of listeriosis. The first one usually lives in the humid earth in a natural way, and the second one in the earth and the natural water. In other words: they are in nature.
They do not usually present problems in healthy people with normal defenses that also carry adequate hygiene. However yes may be harmful to people considered at risk with the low immune system: the elderly, young children, pregnant women and their fetuses, as well as people recovering after an illness.
In the case of toxoplasmosis, in the first trimester of pregnancy it is detected by an analysis if the woman has antibodies. If so, do not take any precautions to avoid contagion.
How does someone get toxoplasmosis or listeriosis?
These microorganisms are not found in the human body, but in the earth and water. From this they pass to fruits and vegetables, rodents and other animals that feed on the latter. His way of entering the human body is usually through food, but there are others.
For example, in the case of toxoplasmosis transmission is usually frequent since cat feces that hunt on their own or frequent other wild cats.
This bacterium is also in some meats, especially those classified as red and that has resulted in alarmist sentences of the type "No red meat during pregnancy!", something quite absurd and disinformative.
What do I do to avoid getting toxoplasmosis or listeriosis?
The disease is in nature and, therefore, there will always be the possibility of contracting it, but with some ideas we can reduce the possibilities to practically none. We see what to do in four cases raised:
I work as a gardener or with earth
People who work daily with wet soil (gardeners or farmers, for example) should extreme hand care, sealing the cuts that could be made during work and putting on gloves to manipulate the earth.
It will also be convenient to wash your hands at least a couple of times during the day, before each meal and before going through a common area (such as an office). WHO stated that wash and disinfect hands It was one of the behaviors that most helps stop infections.
I live with a cat (toxoplasmosis only)
Cats usually do not have the protozoan unless they have been previously infected and, since the incubation period is between 3 and 20 days, a cat that has not hunted on its own or lived wild for a month will not be able to infect us any.
The alternatives with a feline are either prevent him from leaving home to hunt and interact with other cats, or find a foster family to take care of it. At least, until the child and the mother already have high defenses.
In the case of not wanting to keep the cat at home or lose sight of it, it will be enough with exercise caution with feces (where is this microorganism). If the person who will clean them has a care with their hands, for example putting on gloves, there will be no problem. That is, petting the cat, even a cat with toxoplasmosis, is not a risk.
Of course, it is advisable to disinfect the cat litter box with hygiene products such as Estrella 2in1 with bleach and detergent.
I want to eat meat
This is probably the most common of all. Many pregnant women miss the taste of red meat, which even becomes a craving on certain occasions, but misinformation in our culture has prohibited their intake for no reason.
The truth is You can eat as long as it has been cooked properly. That is, above 70 degrees for about five minutes or reach 80 degrees. That will kill the microorganisms. Today it is easy to measure the temperature of food with kitchen thermometers, and it will allow us to eat everything.
In general, it is recommended after preparing food clean and sanitize the kitchen, the tools used as well as boards, rags and other objects that have been in contact with the meat.
There are also many doubts regarding sausages, since many of them are not cooked but only cured. This is the case of chorizo, sausage or serrano ham. Having not gone through high temperatures, it is possible that they carry the transmitter of these diseases and go to the placenta. It is convenient then to avoid these sausages. With the cooked ones, like cooked ham, there will be no problems.
I want to drink cheese and drink milk
Dairy products are the next obligatory question, and includes cheeses, yogurts, milk ... a wide range of products whose origin is animal but whose manufacturing process differs greatly and has to be taken into account before ingesting them. For that reason, it discards those that do not come labeled and of unknown origin, for example, those of homemade elaboration and flea markets.
The process of pasteurization Destroy milk bacteria. Thus, in a generic way, it is recommended not to ingest fresh unpasteurized milk or cheeses and desserts made with this milk. Also avoid those moldy cheeses such as roquefort or cabrales and fermented cheeses such as feta or cambembert (even if they are pasteurized milk).
I want to eat fruits and vegetables
While this request is not frequent, it is because disinformation is not as large as with meat, and the advantage is that the solution is much simpler. Washing raw fruit and vegetables (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber ...) is easier than controlling the temperature:
- In a large bowl full of water we pour a couple of drops of bleach for every two liters, it has to be bleach suitable for the disinfection of fruits and vegetables, such as the Lye Rabbit.
- We wash the fruit and vegetables in that water.
- We rinse both under the tap with running water.
It has been mentioned before that the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes lives in water, but the tap water of our homes does not have the protozoan or the bacteria that cause toxoplasmosis or listeriosis because they have gone through a chlorination plant to make it drinkable and eliminate potentially harmful microorganisms.
As you could read, it is possible to live with an animal, eat red meat, drink dairy and eat all kinds of vegetables safely of contagion as long as we maintain a protocol and disinfect frequently. Remember that it is only 9 months in which you will have to make this "sacrifice". In addition, there are many alternative foods and recipes with which to maintain a balanced diet. It is always advisable to heed the doctors' guidelines, say goodbye to unfounded fears, and Hello To the healthy kids.
Images | Unsplash, Alois Wohlfahrt, Hans Braxmeier
