Avaliação da percepção da toxoplasmose por gestantes e médicos em municípios do sudoeste do Paraná

Abstract

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. Cats are the definitive carrier, but humans may have an accidental infection by eating undercooked meat containing tissue cysts animals or vegetables, fruits, milk and water contaminated with mature oocysts. Women who acquire the infection during pregnancy, especially in the first two quarters, may have abortion, premature birth, stillbirth or severe sequelae in the fetus. The serologic test is recommended to discover the disease at the beginning of prenatal care and during pregnancy. The objective of this research was to evaluate the perception of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women and doctors who perform the prenatal care in the cities of Salto do Lontra, Realeza, Santa Isabel do Oeste e Planalto - PR. An epidemiological questionnaire with questions related to sociodemographic variables; information about pregnancy; knowledge of toxoplasmosis disease; behavior and eating habits; and contact with animals was applied to 87 pregnant women. Six doctors of the health posts in the same municipalities were also interviewed to identify how was the prenatal care and guidance on this disease. Only 25.7% of women knew what the consequences of the disease to them; 69% pointed to know which animals can transmit toxoplasmosis, of these, 74.9 % cited cats and 13.2% dogs; about the sources of infection, 59.9% marked "contact with the cat" and 74.5% marked "infection by eating contaminated food" option; 57.5%, 27.6% and 8.0% have at least one, two and three behaviors of risk for the disease in relation to food, respectively. Of the doctors, 100% reported that the request of serologic test at the beginning of prenatal care; only 50% doctors said they question the pregnant women about the presence of pets in the house, especially cats. The dissemination of information on any subject reaches not restricted to that particular group, but is spread in the social context in which this person was inserted. Thus, the pregnant informed would spread important knowledge about toxoplasmosis to their community. It is also the doctors extend this communication, as working directly with pregnant women, to guide and reduce doubts and gaps in the clarification of this disease.