Faithful felines and devoted dogs provide innumerable benefits to their owners, but sometimes they can spread infections to humans. There are several steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of contracting an infection from your pet.
With more than 110 million pets in US homes, transmission of an infectious disease from pet to owner can occur. But common sense and proper veterinary care can keep these occurrences relatively low.
"It's not one of the public health situations that are threatening the nation, by any means," says Peter Schantz, VMD, a veterinarian and epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Parasitic Disease. "However, the diseases are completely avoidable, usually by steps that are also protective of the pet."
Many infectious diseases tend to be specific to certain species. However, bacteria or parasites that live harmlessly or cause limited disease in one species may cause more serious illness in another.
The chance of Fluffy or Fido passing a nasty bug on to a human family member increases if the person's immune system does not function optimally, such as with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. Richard B. Ford, DVM, MS, a professor at the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University, believes the benefits of animal companionship far outweigh the hazards and feels that the health impact of isolation may far exceed the risk of catching something from a pet.
Some doctors have suggested that people with suppressed immune systems give up household pets to prevent opportunistic infections, but few patients heed the recommendation. The 1999 US Public Health Service (USPHS) and Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Guidelines for the Prevention of Opportunistic Infections in Persons Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus advise people infected with HIV not to give away their pets. Rather, they suggest the following tips:
About 250 infections can be classified as "zoonotic," or shared by animals and humans, but contact with dogs and cats can cause only about 30 types of infection.
Bites present the most problems for people, according to infectious disease specialist, James S. Tan, MD, chairman of the Department of Medicine for Summa Health System in Akron, Ohio. The risk of infection increases if the wound is not properly or fully cleansed, or if more than 24 hours pass before the person receives medical care.
Preventing the spread of disease from pets to people involves common sense, good hygiene, a bit of training, and proper veterinary care. Steps that can decrease the risk of disease transmission from pets include the following:
"If they take good care of their pets," Dr. Tan concludes, "pet owners should be all right."
RESOURCES:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/brochures/pets.htm
Humane Society International
http://www.hsus.org
CANADIAN RESOURCES
Public Health Agency of Canada
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca
Animal Healthcare
http://www.animalhealthcare.ca/
References
1999 USPHS/IDSA guidelines for the prevention of opportunistic infections in persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus. JAMA HIV/AIDS Information Center. American Medical Association website. Available at: http://www.ama-assn.org .
2002 USPHS/IDSA guidelines for the prevention of opportunistic infections in persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus. JAMA HIV/AIDS Information Center. American Medical Association website. Available at: http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/Guidelines/GuidelineDetail.aspx?MenuItem=Guidelines&Search=Off&GuidelineID=13&ClassID=4 .
Preventing infections from pets: a guide for people with HIV infection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/brochures/pets.htm .
Tan JS. Human zoonotic infections transmitted by dogs and cats. Arch Intern Med . 1997 Sep 22;157:1933-43.
Zoonotic diseases. Humane Society International website. Available at: http://www.hsus.org .
Last reviewed January 2008 by Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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