Healthy Issue Talks

Parasite Toxoplasma gondii infection (toxoplasmosis) can cause serious health problems in people with poor immune systems. In pregnant women, toxoplasmosis before and during pregnancy can be transmitted to the fetus, and can cause miscarriage, the baby died in uterus, the baby’s head size is smaller or larger than normal, blindness, deafness, and so on.

To avoid toxoplasmosis, The American Academy of Pediatrics gives some of these tips:

• Pre-marital health checks to ensure you and your partner really well.
• You should get the Health check when planning a pregnancy, so that precautions can be taken in case of toxoplasmosis and other infections.
• Consumption of meat is completely cooked or no longer part of the pink. Meat that is frozen (stored in the freezer) for several days, smoked meat, usually do not contain toxoplasmosis, but should still be cooked before eating.
• Drink milk that has been cooked or pasteurized.
• Wash hands with soap and warm water after handling meat. Wash cooking utensils as well as knives, cutting boards, bowls and former place of raw meat, until completely clean.
• Wash fruits and vegetables with clean running water.
• Be careful when eating the vegetables at the food stalls and fresh vegetables make sure it is washed.
• Peel the fruit before eating.
• Drinking water is clean and mature.
• Avoid direct contact with cat litter or use gloves when caring for a cat.
• Wear gloves when gardening with clay that may be contaminated with animal feces. Clean gardening equipment afterwards.
• Check with your pet to the vet regularly.

To protect the fetus from Torch infection, ie, toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex, we need to do early detection and therapy. Simple and effective option we need to consider is by screening the Torch in the first trimester of pregnancy. This is important because infection can lead to disability and death in infants. In many cases, these infections are asymptomatic in adults. Pregnant women may not know if her baby at risk. Detection and early treatment can reduce the risk of birth defects or infant death.

Around the world, about 60 percent of women infected with Torch that cause birth defects or death in infants 7-12 per 1,000 births per year. Physicians should encourage mothers who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant to get the early detection Torch.

Doctors and medical laboratory technicians must understand the importance of screening for infection Torch. Pregnant women should be given the understanding of the importance of vaccination against infections such as rubella before pregnancy counseling and hygiene to reduce the risk of toxoplasmosis and cytomegalo virus.

Toxoplasmosis causes 5-10 percent risk of miscarriage. In infected fetuses who survive, 80-10 percent risk of eye or brain damage. Cause of toxoplasmosis is a lifestyle because of transmission through food namely through raw vegetables or less clean and good in the processing or frequently eating raw or undercooked meat.

The rubella causes 90 per cent risk of congenital defects, such as blindness, deafness, heart disease, and mental retardation. Many women infected with rubella in the first trimester would be a miscarriage or her baby died at birth. Often found babies born prematurely with inadequate weight gain.

Babies who are infected with cytomegalovirus and survived, 10 percent will develop complications and 80-90 percent of them will have severe congenital defects, such as hearing loss, visual impairment, and mental retardation.

Torch infections (toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus / CMV and herpes simplex) refer to a group of infections that can be transmitted from pregnant women to their babies. TORCH-infected pregnant women have high risk of infecting her fetus that can cause birth defects.

Allegations against TORCH infections can only be proven by performing blood tests or screening. If results are positive, or there is active infection your doctor may suggest taking a bit of a diagnostic examination of amniotic fluid for examination in the laboratory.

Here are the types of Torch infections:

1. Toxoplasmosis

The infection is transmitted by a parasite (protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii). Infections transmitted from animals to man the hot-bodied. These parasites enter the human body through food. Its source is mainly meat not cooked or raw vegetables. Contaminated hands toxoplasmosis can also become a medium of transmission, if we are not wash hands before eating.

In the case of primary maternal infection occurring in pregnancy, the parasite can be transmitted from the placenta and cause fetal defects in the form of impaired vision or a spontaneous miscarriage, although a small percentage.

2. Rubella infection

The infection is also known as German measles, and often affects children. Rubella is experienced in the first trimester of pregnancy 90 percent lead to blindness, deafness, heart abnormalities, mental retardation, and even miscarriage.

Pregnant women are advised not to contact with people who are sick German measles. To prevent this, women are advised to vaccinate rubella because of their Conservation reach 100 percent.

3. Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

CMV is a herpes virus family. The virus is transmitted through sexual contact or during pregnancy. As a result of this infection can be fatal because it causes congenital malformations in the fetus. Unfortunately there is no treatment that can prevent infection with this virus.

4. Herpes Simplex

Herpes virus consists of two types, namely herpes simplex 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV 2). Transmission usually occurs in sexual contact in adults. HSV-1 can also be transmitted through social contact in childhood. HSV-2 prevalence was higher in HIV-positive group and those who had sex without a condom.

Liver cancer risk of people with viral hepatitis B and C can be a hundred-fold higher than those without the virus. Risk can be reduced, for example by checking the presence of viral hepatitis B and C in the body. People who are not infected with hepatitis B and C liver cancer less likely.

Checking viral hepatitis B and C can only be done with blood tests in the laboratory. If there is a viral infection in the body, that person is obliged to check the health of the liver by ultrasonography (USG) and blood checks at least for six months. It’s for the early detection of liver cancer or other serious disorders. If there is suspicion, can be performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Early detection is important because severe liver disorders, such as liver cancer and liver-hardening is generally only known after the liver function below about 30 percent. That’s when people start complaining, like the weight down, fatigue, decreased appetite, and digestion deteriorates.

In cases of liver cancer associated with hepatitis B infection, for example, someone may appear to grow up healthy. Infection can be a cancer or cirrhosis 20-30 years later. Although infection did not develop severe, the person carrying the virus can remain infectious to others. People affected by liver cancer usually do not feel pain because the organ is located on the inside, in contrast to breast and colon tumors.

If you have severe liver impairment, usually skin and eyes turn yellow, fluid-filled belly bulge, and the liver is not functioning. For the heart that is not functioning, alternative liver transplant. However, besides it’s being very expensive, it’s not easy to find the right donor. In the body, liver functions are stores vitamins, sugars, fats, and minerals to be processed into energy.

Hepatitis C is an infectious disease of the liver caused by hepatitis C. If not treated immediately, it could lead into cirrhosis and liver cancer. The diagnosis of hepatitis C should be done especially for those belonging to high risk groups or have been exposed to blood suspected of contamination with hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Examination of initial blood with anti-HCV screening and follow-up examination when the anti-HCV positive by a quantitative HCV RNA and HCV genotype. Diagnostic criteria for HCV infection there are two, namely the acute hepatitis C and chronic hepatitis C. However, the problem currently exists in chronic hepatitis C because HCV RNA should be obtained (cost prohibitive) and by the time they found the cause, most patients are not able to buy medications.

From a survey is known that only 20 percent of people diagnosed with Hep C are able to buy drugs. The 80 percent do not seek treatment because they can not afford. Why should immediately administer medications? If it had happened advanced cirrhosis, the only treatment is transplantation. Therapy for liver transplantation is currently available in China.

Therefore, before arriving at a more severe stage, it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms of this disease. Although hepatitis C infection is also often referred to as covert infections due to early infections are often asymptomatic, so often overlooked. If any, symptoms are generally mild and similar to flu, such as a little weak, nausea, muscle aches and nerve systems, discomfort in the area near the heart.