Toxoplasmosis-Related Knowledge and Practices AmongPregnant Women in the United States

[摘要] Background:Infection withToxoplasma gondiiduring pregnancy can lead to severe illness in the fetus. ManyT. gondiiinfections are preventable by simple hygienic measures.Methods:We surveyed pregnant women in the US to determine their knowledge about toxoplasmosis andtheir practices to prevent infection. Volunteer obstetricians selected to be demographically representative of theAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recruited the participants.Results:Of 403 women responding to the survey, 48% indicated that they had heard or seen information abouttoxoplasmosis; however, only 7% were aware of being tested for the disease. Forty percent of responding womenknew that toxoplasmosis is caused by an infection, but 21% thought that a poison causes it. The highest level ofknowledge was about cats andT. gondii; 61% responded that the organism is shed in the feces of infected cats and60% responded that people could acquire toxoplasmosis by changing cat litter. There was a low level of knowledgeabout other risk factors; only 30% of the women were aware thatT. gondiimay be found in raw or undercookedmeat. Nevertheless, a high percentage of women indicated that they do not eat undercooked meat duringpregnancy and that they practice good hygienic measures such as washing their hands after handling raw meat,gardening or changing cat litter.Conclusion:Except for the risk of transmission from cats, knowledge among pregnant women abouttoxoplasmosis is low. However, toxoplasmosis-preventive practices are generally good, suggesting that providersshould continue to offer education about practices that help prevent foodborne diseases in general as well asinformation about preventing toxoplasmosis specifically.

[学科分类] 妇产科学