Confirmed cases of toxoplasmosis in Santa Maria already exceed 600, penultimate newsletter | Rio Grande do Sul

Of more than 600 confirmed cases, 54 are pregnant women, with three fetal deaths and three abortions.

The number of suspected cases increased from 1,291 on day 29 to 1,486 on Friday. Of these, 350 were rejected and 515 are still under investigation. The total number of reports related to the disease is 1786, according to the latest newsletter.

Toxoplasmosis, popularly known as cat disease, is an infectious disease caused by a protozoan called Toxoplasma gondii. This protozoan is easily found in nature and can cause infection in a large number of mammals and birds around the world.

According to the Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases, the disease can occur by the ingestion of oocysts (where the parasite grows) from soil, sand, garbage cans contaminated with cat feces infected; ingestion of raw and undercooked meat infected with cysts, especially pork and mutton; or by transplacental infection, occurring in 40% of fetuses of mothers who contracted infection during pregnancy.

In some cases, the symptoms do not occur, but may be:

The incubation period of toxoplasmosis ranges from 10 to 23 days when the cause is meat consumption, and from 5 to 20 days when the motive is contact with cat feces cysts.

The Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases lists some preventive measures: