Diseases that Pets Can Transmit

Animal lovers must be more careful because some animals are known to transmit diseases to humans. Some time ago, The Source reported an outbreak of campylobacteriosis, a bacterial infection, caused by contact with puppies being sold at pet supply stores. Diseases that are transmitted by pets to humans are not a new phenomenon. More than 40 years ago, the FDA banned the sale of small turtles (with a shell less than 4 inches) due to a proven salmonella risk. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the risks of having a pet so you can take precautions to keep it healthy.

Pets are known to have germs that can make humans sick, even when the same germs are not harmful to the animal itself. „Many infectious diseases originate from pathogens, viruses, which are normally present in animal populations. As human populations increase and they move to areas that were initially sparsely populated, the opportunities for mutual contact with animals carrying these viruses increase,

Groups that are more susceptible to contracting animal-borne diseases are children under 5 years old, the elderly, and also pregnant women.
Then, what are the diseases that can be transmitted by animals? The following is a list of common pet-borne diseases.

1. Ringworm (dogs, cats)

Ringworm, a skin and scalp disease caused by a fungus, is passed from animal to animal and animal to human through close contact. Ringworm can also be transferred by touching an object or surface that has contact with the infection. Ringworm infection in pets may not be obvious, but puppies and kittens may show signs – often hairless areas with scales, crusting, and redness.

2. Campylobacter (dogs, cats)

Campylobacteriosis is a disease caused by bacteria that is sometimes passed to humans through contact with the feces of infected dogs and cats. Symptoms of ongoing infection in humans are diarrhea, cramps, abdominal pain, and fever for two to five days after exposure to the organism. Usually, no treatment is needed, as the symptoms disappear within a week.

3. Cat scratch disease (cat)

As the name implies, humans are infected with cat-scratch disease (CSD) when an infected cat damages a person’s skin by biting, scratching, or licking open wounds on human skin. Although 40 percent of cats have the infection-causing bacteria at some point in their lives, the potential is even greater for kittens who tend to bite or scratch to transmit the infection to humans.

The bacteria can cause an easy but painful infection in the wound area, causing it to swell and causing pus or signs of redness. A person with CSD can also experience fever, headaches, poor appetite, and fatigue.

4. Toxoplasmosis (cat)

If your partner is pregnant, make sure she doesn’t clean the litter box. This is because your wife can catch toxoplasmosis and then pass the disease to her unborn baby, which can cause birth defects that affect the nervous system and eyes.

5. E. coli

Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria are normal members of the human intestinal tract, but some types of E. coli are risky and can cause disease. The signs of infection are diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting. Young children are more likely to have chronic problems from E. coli, including kidney failure and death.

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