In 15 days, 13 new cases of toxoplasmosis are confirmed in Santa Maria | Rio Grande do Sul

"We are still waiting for the other results of the badysis of the water samples and we still have positive cases to investigate: apparently, the epidemic is stabilized, but we can not do without basic prevention care, "says Santa Maria's superintendent Alexandre Streb.

According to the report, up to now Santa Maria has 1,813 reported cases. Of these, 1,516 are considered suspects and 237 still need a clbadification. Of the suspected cases, 634 were confirmed by laboratory tests, 353 were rejected and 529 were still under investigation.

According to the document, the district of Tancredo Neves has the highest number of people with the disease: 90 confirmed cases. Then there are the neighborhoods Pinheiro Machado, Nova Santa Marta, Juscelino Kubitschek and Centro with respectively 87, 53, 51 and 37 cases.

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 through 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 5 to 20 days when the pattern is contact with cat feces cysts.

The Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases lists some preventive measures: