Which group is at higher risk for toxoplasmosis according to the material?

Which group is at higher risk for toxoplasmosis according to the material?

• A. Healthy adult males
• B. Seronegative pregnant women
• C. Immunocompromised elderly humans
• D. Neonatal kittens

Answer: (B)

Toxoplasma infection risk is highest when someone lacks prior immunity and is pregnant. If a seronegative pregnant woman encounters the parasite for the first time, the infection can cross the placenta and cause congenital toxoplasmosis, which can lead to miscarriage, fetal damage, or serious health problems for the newborn. Once someone has seroconverted (developed antibodies), their risk of severe congenital effects drops significantly, because the fetus is no longer exposed to a new infection. Healthy adults who are already seropositive are largely immune, and while immunocompromised individuals can experience severe disease if reactivation occurs, the scenario highlighted in the material centers on the danger of a new infection during pregnancy. Neonatal kittens are a source of the parasite but aren’t the group described as the higher-risk category for pregnant humans in this context.

Toxoplasma infection risk is highest when someone lacks prior immunity and is pregnant. If a seronegative pregnant woman encounters the parasite for the first time, the infection can cross the placenta and cause congenital toxoplasmosis, which can lead to miscarriage, fetal damage, or serious health problems for the newborn. Once someone has seroconverted (developed antibodies), their risk of severe congenital effects drops significantly, because the fetus is no longer exposed to a new infection. Healthy adults who are already seropositive are largely immune, and while immunocompromised individuals can experience severe disease if reactivation occurs, the scenario highlighted in the material centers on the danger of a new infection during pregnancy. Neonatal kittens are a source of the parasite but aren’t the group described as the higher-risk category for pregnant humans in this context.