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In most cases of toxoplasmosis, treatment is not necessary, as the immune system is able to fight the parasite responsible for the infection. However, when the person has the most compromised immune system or when the infection occurs during pregnancy, it is important that treatment is carried out according to the doctor's recommendation to avoid complications and risk to the baby.
Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by a protozoan, the Toxoplasma gondii, or T. gondii, which has cats as its usual host and can be transmitted to people through inhalation or ingestion of the parasite's infectious forms, which may be present in infected cat feces, contaminated water or in raw or undercooked meat from animals that also may be infected with this parasite, such as pig and ox, for example. Learn more about toxoplasmosis.
How the treatment is done
The treatment of toxoplasmosis can vary according to age, immune system and symptoms presented by the person. The drugs recommended by the general practitioner or infectious disease aim to eliminate the proliferative and infective forms of the parasite. Thus, the recommended treatment can be:
1. In pregnancy
Treatment for toxoplasmosis in pregnancy varies according to the gestational age and the degree of infection of the pregnant woman, and may be recommended by the obstetrician:
- Spiramycin for pregnant women with suspected contamination or who were infected during pregnancy;
- Sulfadiazine, Pyrimethamine and Folinic Acid, from 18 weeks of gestation. If there is confirmation that the baby is infected, the pregnant woman should take this cocktail of medicines for 3 consecutive weeks, alternating with Spiramycin for another 3 weeks until the end of the pregnancy, with the exception of Sulfadiazine, which should only be taken until 34th week of gestation.
However, this treatment does not guarantee the protection of the fetus against the agent that causes toxoplasmosis, because the later the treatment of the pregnant woman starts, the greater the chances of fetal malformation and congenital toxoplasmosis. And, therefore, to avoid this situation, the pregnant woman must do the prenatal and perform the blood test to diagnose toxoplasmosis in the 1st trimester of pregnancy.
Pregnant women who already had toxoplasmosis before pregnancy, probably already developed immunity against the disease parasite, that is, there is no risk of infecting the baby. However, toxoplasmosis can be transmitted to the baby when the pregnant woman is infected for the first time during pregnancy, which can cause miscarriage, fetal death, mental retardation, epilepsy, eye injuries that can lead to blindness in the baby, deafness or injuries brain. See what are the risks of toxoplasmosis in pregnancy.
2. Congenital toxoplasmosis
Treatment for congenital toxoplasmosis is done after the baby is born, using antibiotics for 12 months. However, some malformations caused by the disease can not be cured and, therefore, the pregnant woman should seek the diagnosis of the disease as soon as possible to avoid serious problems in the fetus.
3. Ocular toxoplasmosis
The treatment of ocular toxoplasmosis varies according to the location and the degree of infection in the eyes, but also according to the patient's clinical condition, and can last up to 3 months in individuals with reduced immune system.The cure is made with a mixture of antibiotic remedies, with clindamycin, pyrimethamine, sulfadiazine, sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim and spiramycin being used more.
After treatment, it may be necessary to perform surgery to resolve other problems caused by ocular toxoplasmosis, such as retinal detachment, for example.
4. Cerebral toxoplasmosis
Treatment for cerebral toxoplasmosis begins with the use of antibiotic drugs, such as sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine. However, as the disease mainly affects individuals with AIDS, the drugs can be changed in case of little success or the patient's allergy.
Can Toxoplasmosis be cured?
Although treatment for Toxoplasmosis is quite effective in eliminating the proliferative forms of Toxoplasma gondii, is not able to eliminate the forms of resistance of this parasite, which is normally found inside the tissues.
The forms of resistance of the Toxoplasma gondii arise when the disease is not quickly identified, the treatment is not done properly or is not effective, which causes the development of these forms that remain inside the tissues, indicating chronic infection and the possibility of re-infection .
Therefore, the best way to prevent the disease is to adopt preventive measures, such as avoiding consuming raw food and potentially contaminated water, putting your hands in your mouth after handling raw meat and avoiding direct contact with the feces of domestic animals.