Diseases that can be passed from parent to fetus & bull; hello healthy

Hereditary diseases are not always just diabetes or cancer. There are two types of hereditary diseases, those caused by infection with pathogens (such as viruses, bacteria, or parasites) and those caused by mutations of certain genes in the body. Both of them can be passed on from parents to their children, of course, each of them has a different mechanism.

Hereditary diseases due to pathogenic infections

This type of hereditary disease is also called vertical transmission, the transfer of the disease from mother to baby or fetus. Vertical transmission is also known as congenital infection. This infection is acquired from the mother and then passed to the child either through the placenta or during the birth process. The types of infections belonging to this type are abbreviated as TORCH (Toxoplasmosis, Other, Rubella, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes Simplex Virus). Although some experts consider this abbreviation outdated because of the increasing number of infections that fall into the 'other' category (such as syphilis, hepatitis B, HIV, etc.), this acronym is still used because it makes it easier to remember the pathogen causing the disease.

Toxoplasmosis

This disease occurs when parasites (the so-called T. gondii) enters the body through the mouth. This parasite can be found in cat feces, undercooked meat, raw eggs, contaminated water or soil surfaces, and goat's milk that is not well pasteurized. Parasites will be contagious for a certain period of time, and can even last up to 18 hours in wet or damp soil layers. If infected in the first trimester, it usually causes fetal death. In the second trimester can cause hydrocephalus and intracranial calcification. Children who are infected in the third trimester usually do not show any symptoms at birth.

Other

Some examples of diseases included in this group are syphilis, hepatitis B, and HIV. Children who get syphilis infection are usually born without symptoms and will not appear at the age of 1-2 months or at the age of two years. Meanwhile, in hepatitis B, the younger the child is infected with the hepatitis B virus, the greater the likelihood of suffering from chronic disease later. Similar to others, infants infected with HIV also do not show symptoms until their immune system declines.

Rubella

Also known as German measles, the most obvious symptom when a child is infected with this disease is the appearance of "blueberry muffins", which are purple or blue spots, marks, or nodules on the skin. Rubella can be spread via respiratory secretions and through the placenta. Babies with rubella infection can experience heart problems, vision problems, and stunted growth and development.

Cytomegalovirus

Classified as part of the herpes virus, transmission can occur through the placenta, through the birth canal and through breast milk or direct contact with other bodily fluids (such as urine or saliva). CMV can cause hearing loss, epilepsy, and decreased intellectual abilities if it infects a developing fetus.

Herpes Simplex Virus

This virus is usually transmitted from mother to baby through the birth canal. But it does not rule out the baby being infected while still in the womb. Infection can cause damage to the brain to problems with breathing. These symptoms usually appear two weeks after the baby is born.

Hereditary diseases due to genetic disorders

Just like facial characteristics, height, and blood type, diseases can also be passed down through genetics. But unlike infectious diseases that can show symptoms in children after a few weeks or several years, diseases caused by this genetic disorder are usually not detected until the disease appears.

Genes are part of DNA, which functions to give the body instructions to work such as how to produce proteins needed by the body, when to destroy damaged cells, to maintain cell balance. Genes control hair color, eyes, height, so they affect how likely you are to develop certain diseases in the future.

Abnormal changes in genes are called mutations, there are two types of mutations, namely inherited mutations and acquired mutations. Hereditary mutations occur when abnormalities occur in sperm cells or eggs that will form a baby. Various types of diseases (such as cancer for example) can be passed down through this mutation. The example is:

• HBOC (Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer syndrome) where there can be cases of breast cancer and ovarian cancer at the same time.
• HNPCC (Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer), where the sufferer is at high risk of developing colorectal cancer before the age of 50, endometrial cancer, stomach cancer, small intestine cancer, and pancreatic cancer.
• Li-Fraumeni syndrome: this is a rare syndrome in which the sufferer can contract various types of cancer at one time. This is likely caused by mutated genes that regulate and inhibit the growth of abnormal cells which can then develop into tumors and cancer.

Symptoms and signs of hereditary cancer

Some of the characteristics of the possibility of cancer caused by heredity or gene mutation, namely:

• The type of cancer that occurs is usually a rare cancer.
• Cancer appears at a younger age when compared to the average age, for example, such as colon cancer that appears at the age of 20 years where the average age of colon cancer sufferers is 50 years of age.
• There is more than one cancer in one person (for example, women who have breast cancer and ovarian cancer at the same time).
• Cancer occurs in both paired organs (eg breast cancer that appears in both breasts, eye cancer in both eyes, or kidney cancer in both kidneys).
• The appearance of the same cancer in siblings (for example, siblings who both suffer from sarcoma cancer).
• Cancer occurs in genders who do not usually have this cancer (such as breast cancer in men).