Undercooked or cured meat is main risk factor for toxoplasmosis in pregnancy

Infection with Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most common parasitic diseases in the world and, if acquired during pregnancy, can cause damage to the fetal brain and eyes. Avoidance of maternal infection during pregnancy is the only way to prevent congenital toxoplasmosis effectively, but health messages to women have been unclear because of uncertainty about the principal sources of infection in pregnancy. The case-control study by Cook et al (p 142) shows that consumption of undercooked and cured meat products is the principal risk factor, accounting for between 30% and 63% of infections in the six European centres studied. The authors advocate better health information, including improved labelling of meat according to farming and processing methods, as meat that has been farmed indoors in hygienic conditions or that has been frozen carries a low risk of infection.

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Relevant Article

Sources of toxoplasma infection in pregnant women: European multicentre case-control study • Commentary: Congenital toxoplasmosisfurther thought for food

A J C Cook, R E Gilbert, W Buffolano, J Zufferey, E Petersen, P A Jenum, W Foulon, A E Semprini, D T Dunn, and Richard Holliman
BMJ 2000 321: 142-147. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]