| A zoonotic disease, loosely defined, is a disease that | | | | the body and the symptoms experienced by the |
| can be transmitted froman animal to a human. These | | | | person depend on where thelarvae end up in the |
| diseases can be transmitted by direct contact, by | | | | body.Common symptoms include a fever, muscle |
| vectorsor by the consumption of animals and/or animal | | | | pains, coughing, lossof appetite, blindness (usually only |
| products. | | | | one eye) etc. |
| While many animal diseases are zoonotic, we are | | | | Prevention is the same as for hookworm. |
| going tohighlight some of the more common ones | | | | C) Toxoplasmosis |
| caused by worms. | | | | Toxoplasmosis is one of the best known of the |
| A) Hookworm (Ancylostoma caninum) | | | | zoonotic diseases that involve petsand is the disease |
| These are distributed worldwide and arefound | | | | that leads many pregnant women to (unfairly) toss the |
| wherever dogs live. | | | | pet catout the door! |
| In dogs they can cause anaemia(bloodloss), weight | | | | Although cats play a major role in the life cycle of |
| loss, loss of appetite,poor growth,bloody stools, | | | | Toxopllasma gondii, the causative organism,humans |
| coughing and localised skin inflammation,especially of | | | | can in fact become infected 3 different ways, only |
| the feet, legs and abdomen. | | | | one of which is direct contactwith cat faeces.In fact, |
| In humans they are responsible for a condition known | | | | cat ownership is not a big factor for human infection |
| as Cutaneous Larval Migrans. | | | | with Toxoplasma. |
| The migration of the larval stages causes localised skin | | | | The three ways that humans can become infected: |
| inflammation,especially in the lower leg region | | | | 1) Eating undercooked meat |
| Preventative measures include: | | | | This is THE major route of infection for humans, NOT |
| 1) Regular removal of dog faeces from the | | | | contact with cat faeces. |
| environment and avoiding contactwith dog faeces and | | | | In one study , up to 60% of infections were as the |
| soil contaminated with dog faeces. | | | | result of the consumption of undercookedmeat. |
| 2) Disinfection of Kennels etc | | | | 2) Transplacental Infection |
| 3) Regular Deworming (pets and people!) | | | | The foetus is infected while still in the uterus. This |
| 4) Basic Hygiene - washing hands after playing with | | | | infection is the resultof the mother becoming infected |
| dogs, before meals etc. | | | | during pregnancy. |
| B) Roundworm (Toxocara canis) are also distributed | | | | 3) Ingestion of the organism shed in cat faeces. |
| worldwide. | | | | Preventative measures thus involve cooking meat |
| Usually only dogs up to about 8 months old are | | | | properly, wearing gloves when gardening,washing |
| infected. | | | | hands and utensils after working with raw meat and |
| Symptoms include poor growth, weight loss, pot bellied | | | | cleaning litter trays out daily. |
| appearance, coughing, occasionalvomiting, slimey | | | | Zoonotic diseases are a real threat to humans, but in |
| diarrhoea with worms sometimes visible. | | | | most cases a little common sense and basichygiene |
| In humans they are responsible for a condition known | | | | practices will prevent you becoming infected with any |
| as Visceral larval Migrans. The larvaemigrate through | | | | of these diseases. |