Traditional practices in consuming raw meat as risk factor for toxoplasmosis.

What is it about?

In this paper Toxoplasmosis is related to traditionally common behavieur in consuming raw meat product in south Italy population. An infected sausage was partially consumed before cooking causing a young woman to become infected with Toxoplasma gondii. This parasite is a protozoa that can infect almost all warm-blooded animals , humans included. It can be transmitted through the consumption of raw or poorly cooked infected meat, through contaminated water drinking or contact with contaminated soil when gardening. The infection can be severe in individual immuno-compromised or during pregnancy for the embryos. In immuno-competent indivuduals is usually asymptomatics but some acute episodes can occur as the case in a young woman described in this paper

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Why is it important?

The paper is important because although the possibility of Toxoplasma infection through contaminated food has always been postulated this is one of the rare case in which the source of infection ( the contaminated sausage) was analysed confirming the presence of T. gondii DNA. This should enforce the idea to avoid risky habits although they are very common and difficult to be changed.

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