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Sunday, April 02, 2006
Toxoplasmosis
Gina, 21, from Minnesota asks:
Hi, I'm 6 months pregnant. My older sister has a cat that had been urinating in the corner of her living room on the carpet. She has cleaned that area numerous times with carpet cleaner/etc. But it always just smelt like urine in her townhome. She does have a weiner dog that still is in the process of getting potty trained. But I thought it was her weiner dog the whole time that made her townhome smell like urine. I go over to her place quite often. But is there anyway that inhaling that urine in the carpet can harm my fetus?
Stacy Says:
Excellent question, Gina. (Not that I particularly enjoy talking about cat urine, but you get my point). Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a parasite that lives in raw meat, in cats who eat raw meat and their feces (poo-poo). Not in the urine and you can't get it by inhaling it. So even though your sister's apartment smells like urine, (which I gotta say is kinda nasty--does she not notice it?) you can't get the infection from that. And I don't think you're playing in the kitty litter so you should be okay.
Just be very careful over there about dealing with the cat. Always be sure to wash your hands after handling the cat, before you eat and just in general. Personally, I would recommend carrying some of that wash-free antibacterial sanitizer, but that's just me being extra careful. Some might say paranoid. Especially since the chance of infection is greater in the third trimester. Now, after the baby is born is another story. The little booger will put his/her hands on EVERYTHING and so it might be real easy for him/her to get this infection. You will have to be extremely vigilant or invite your sister over to your house.
Hi, I'm 6 months pregnant. My older sister has a cat that had been urinating in the corner of her living room on the carpet. She has cleaned that area numerous times with carpet cleaner/etc. But it always just smelt like urine in her townhome. She does have a weiner dog that still is in the process of getting potty trained. But I thought it was her weiner dog the whole time that made her townhome smell like urine. I go over to her place quite often. But is there anyway that inhaling that urine in the carpet can harm my fetus?
Stacy Says:
Excellent question, Gina. (Not that I particularly enjoy talking about cat urine, but you get my point). Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a parasite that lives in raw meat, in cats who eat raw meat and their feces (poo-poo). Not in the urine and you can't get it by inhaling it. So even though your sister's apartment smells like urine, (which I gotta say is kinda nasty--does she not notice it?) you can't get the infection from that. And I don't think you're playing in the kitty litter so you should be okay.
Just be very careful over there about dealing with the cat. Always be sure to wash your hands after handling the cat, before you eat and just in general. Personally, I would recommend carrying some of that wash-free antibacterial sanitizer, but that's just me being extra careful. Some might say paranoid. Especially since the chance of infection is greater in the third trimester. Now, after the baby is born is another story. The little booger will put his/her hands on EVERYTHING and so it might be real easy for him/her to get this infection. You will have to be extremely vigilant or invite your sister over to your house.
