Understanding the Risks of Disease Transmission from Pets
Health officials in Alaska recently reported the first known human death from a virus called Alaskapox. The man, who died in January, lived in a wooded area and cared for a stray cat that hunted small animals, according to health officials.
Types of Diseases Transmitted by Household Pets
Just as humans can transmit diseases to other humans, animals can transmit diseases to others in their own species. Sometimes, animals can transmit diseases to other species, and that includes humans with whom pets have had close contact.
One way to classify the diseases that can be spread by household pets to humans is by method of transmission, such as the fecal-oral route. These diseases include bacterial infections like campylobacter and salmonella and parasitic infections like cryptosporidium, giardia, and tapeworm.
Symptoms can include abdominal cramping, diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. Depending on the illness, people may need targeted treatment, such as antibiotics or antiparasitic medications.
Routes of Infection from Pets
There are three main routes of infection from pets to humans. The first is through the fecal-oral route, where contact with infected animal feces can lead to transmission of diseases like campylobacter and salmonella.
The second route is through scratches and bites. Cat scratch disease, for instance, is a bacterial infection spread when a cat scratches or bites a person enough to break their skin. Rabies is another deadly viral infection spread through the bite of infected animals.
The third route of infection is through vectors like ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes. Ticks can transmit infections that cause Lyme disease, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, and tularemia.
Precautions to Reduce the Risk of Disease Transmission
There are several important steps pet owners and animal lovers can take to protect themselves, their family members, and their pets. These include ensuring that pets are fully vaccinated and cared for with regularly scheduled checkups.
It's also important to reduce contact with sick pets, wash hands well after handling feces and waste, keep the pet's living area clean, and avoid contact with wild animals and animals exhibiting strange behavior.
Children should be reminded to wash their hands well after cleaning litter boxes or picking up after their dogs, as well as to avoid kissing their pet's mouth and engaging in activities that may lead to accidental bites.
