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Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the parasite toxoplasma gondii.
If your baby has been infected with the toxoplasma gondii parasite, treatment should begin right away to ensure that the condition has a minimal effect on her health.
Our Division of Newborn Medicine specializes in treating babies with a wide range of congenital and acquired conditions. Your baby will be seen by a specially trained team of physicians, nurses, therapists, and other health professionals who routinely diagnose and treat newborns with critical illnesses.
Many (up to 90 percent of) babies born with congenital toxoplasmosis experience no immediate symptoms. However, one sign of infection is a premature birth or an abnormally low birth weight. As an infected baby grows, more signs and symptoms can appear. These may include the following:
Toxoplasmosis can also cause some more serious problems, including the following:
The toxoplasma gondii parasite can enter the body in a number of ways (most commonly, through the mouth). If you’re pregnant, be especially careful to avoid these situations:
The first step in treating your child is forming an accurate and complete diagnosis. A blood test before or during pregnancy can determine if you have been exposed to the toxoplasma gondii parasite.
Currently, physicians in the United States do not routinely screen pregnant women for toxoplasma gondii, so if you suspect you may have been exposed to the parasite, ask your doctor to perform a blood test.
After we complete all necessary tests, Boston Children’s Hospital’s experts meet to review and discuss what they have learned. Then we will meet with you and your family to discuss the results and outline the best treatment options.
If the condition is detected early through a blood test, antiparasitic treatments can eliminate toxoplasmosis before the parasite harms the fetus. Clinicians treat babies born with congenital toxoplasmosis with anti-toxoplasmosis medications, usually for 1 year after birth.
One of our experts will determine which combination of medications is best suited for your baby. We typically use pyrimethamine or sulfadiazine because studies have shown that babies treated with these medications typically have fewer complications from the infection.
If your child is treated early, there should be no serious consequences of toxoplasmosis. However, if treatment is delayed, your child may suffer some serious health problems as a result of the infection. For more information, see the diagnosis and treatments section.
Physicians in the Division of Infectious Diseases care for children and adolescents with a variety of infections, including congenital toxoplasmosis. In addition to treating children, we also are dedicated to researching better ways to diagnose, treat and prevent infectious diseases.
Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the parasite toxoplasma gondii and is usually acquired by the parasite getting into the body by the mouth (for instance, by eating undercooked meat).
While most people infected with toxoplasmosis have no symptoms (and don’t need any treatment), pregnant women should be especially careful about exposing themselves to the parasite because toxoplasmosis can be very serious in a newborn baby.
If you’re pregnant, be especially careful to avoid these situations:
No. Although cats can transmit the toxoplasma gondii parasite to pregnant women through their feces (where infected parasite eggs can be shed), there is no demonstrated link between toxoplasmosis and simply owning a cat. Here’s why:
Cats themselves can only become infected with toxoplasma gondiiif they eat prey containing the parasite, or come into contact with infected soil. For these reasons, cats kept indoors are highly unlikely to become carriers of the parasite. In addition, only pregnant women are at elevated risk of toxoplasmosis through handling cat litter and/or feces. Other family members, including young children, do not face this elevated risk.
Many pregnant women (and their families) fear that they need to part with the family cat to be safe from toxoplasmosis — but that’s not the case at all. You can keep your cat while taking these steps to prevent toxoplasmosis infection:
It depends on when you are infected.
A blood test before or during pregnancy can determine if you have been exposed to the toxoplasma gondii parasite.
Currently, physicians in the United States do not routinely screen pregnant women for toxoplasma gondii, so if you suspect you may have been exposed to the parasite, ask your doctor to perform a blood test.
Here at Boston Children’s, physicians in our Division of Infectious Diseases treat congenital toxoplasmosis in infants.
If your child is treated early, there should be no serious consequences of toxoplasmosis. However, if treatment is delayed, your child may suffer some serious health problems as a result of the infection.
Our physicians are expert, compassionate and committed to focusing on the whole child, not just his condition — that’s one reason we’re frequently ranked as a top pediatric hospital in the United States.
And at Boston Children’s, we consider you and your child integral parts of the care team and not simply recipients of care. You and your care team will work together to customize a plan of care for your child.
