January 04, 2012

Tom and Jerry

Toxoplasmosis typically associated with women. Due to the parasite, a woman can be hard having pregnancy. Even if she can, high risk of miscarriage, or the born baby is at high risk of becoming an abnormal.

Many people don't understand, parasite of Toxoplasma gondii can also attack a man. Heru Budiarto, 42, is one of them. Originallly lived in Surabaya, Indonesia, have already experiencing 4 years of sufferring from blindness due to these parasites attacks his eyes. Heru's condition is called choriotinitis, or inflammation of the choroid layer behind the retina of the eye.

Approximately 67% patients with no symptoms of infection such as fever, enlarged neck glands, and body sweating at night. While inflammation of the eye (choriotinitis) occurred in 15% patients. When a condition is at high immunity, infection symptoms will not show up.

Several people, including high-risk contact with toxoplasma parasites, are those with resilient lower body. For example, people with HIV/AIDS, drug consumers (chemotherapy), transplantation patients, patients with cancer and autoimmune patients. Health care and healthy food consumed suppose to be the best move. Because toxoplasma entrance into the body through food. The incubation period of disease depends on the resilience of someone's body and the number of parasites that attack.

Toxoplasma gondii parasite grows in the cat's intestines. Contaminated feces mixed with grass. => Grass eaten by cows, goats, or poultry. The parasites migrate to the body fat. => The parasites live in the flesh, the animal intestine and brain. => Meat, intestine, brain or contaminated vegetables consume by human.

Prevention Actions?

Meat
Consume only cooked meat. Avoid eating half cooked meat. Half cooked process will not kill parasites in the flesh. Pregnant women should not wash raw meat. Wash hands with soap and warm water after processing the meat. Wash cooking utensils such as knives, bowl place raw meat with hot water.

You and Your Pet
Run a routine medical check up at least once a year. Please check your pet to the vet regularly. Avoid direct contact with the dirt of your pet, especially if you have a cat.

Fruit and Vegetables
Wash fruits and vegetables with running water. Peel the fruit before eating, especially apples.