Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous, obligate intracellular parasite capable of crossing the placenta to cause spontaneous abortion, preterm labor, or significant disease in the surviving neonate.
What infections can pass through the placenta?
Maternal infections caused by most organisms which can cross the placenta (including rubella, mumps, poliomyelitis, smallpox, rubeola, syphilis, malaria, toxoplasmosis, and infections caused by S typhosa, V fetus, L monocytogenes, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex virus) may result in abortion or stillbirth.
Can worms pass through placenta?
If a pregnant woman is infected, the parasite can cross the placenta and infect the fetus.
Which parasite is able to cross the placenta and infect the developing fetus?
About one-half of women infected with Toxoplasma can transmit the infection across the placenta to the unborn baby. Infection early in the pregnancy is less likely to be transmitted to the baby than infection later in the pregnancy. However, an early infection is usually more severe than a later one.
Can tapeworms cross the placenta?
They are long and thin, similar to thin spaghetti. This parasite can pass through the placenta (only in puppies), through the milk (puppies and kittens) or be ingested (puppies and kittens). Some animals become infected after ingesting another animal with roundworm eggs.
