3 ms·
This makes me wonder, if such a high percentage of people are already infected by this parasite why should mothers avoid handling cat litter boxes when pregnant
by dom96 9y ago
This makes me wonder, if such a high percentage of people are already infected by this parasite why should mothers avoid handling cat litter boxes when pregnant? They're already infected, no?
Is the parasite dormant when it settles itself after infection? i.e. when you've been infected in the past, there is no risk to the baby, but if you're exposed to it again you can infect the baby?
- throwanem 9y agoYes. After initial infection, which usually presents asymptomatically or with flu-style malaise, the parasites form cysts in the brain and stay there, where they aren't transmissible. The danger to the fetus comes with a new infection in the transmissible phase, which is likely to disrupt the fetal nervous system in lethal or severely damaging ways to which an adult brain isn't so susceptible. (Source: I read a lot. Could be wrong! Don't think I am.)