Can your family get sick from your pets? (Pet-Borne Infections) Let's talk about this!

Having a pet at home is really a joy, isn't it? Especially in a house with young children, a pet is like a member of the family. Children can learn a lot of good things from them, such as responsibility, how to love others, and how to be kind to animals. But just like us, our pets can also get various diseases, and sometimes those diseases can be transmitted to us. So, today, let's talk about how to protect our family from such things.

How do pets spread diseases?

Simply put, animals can carry germs just like us. But don't worry, we can't catch some of the diseases that dogs and cats get, such as `(Distemper)`, `(Canine Parvovirus)`, or `(Heartworms).`

However, there are some types of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi that can be transferred from pets to us. How does that happen? These germs can enter our bodies if we are scratched, bitten, or come into contact with the animal's feces, saliva, or fine dust (dander) that falls off its skin.

Children under the age of 5, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems (i.e., those with low resistance to disease, for example, those infected with HIV, those undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, or those taking medications such as steroids) are especially susceptible to these diseases.

What should you consider when choosing a pet?

Before you bring a pet home, you need to consider the health of the people in the household, especially the age and health of children.

• Just think, if your child has a weak immune system, meaning that if they get sick, they don't recover quickly and have a low resistance to illness, it's not a good idea to keep them around dogs or cats that have diseases like ``Ringworm'' (a fungal disease that occurs on the skin).
• Also, it's not good for children with eczema (skin diseases like eczema) to touch fish tanks (aquariums).
• Animals like reptiles (e.g. lizards, snakes, turtles) and amphibians (e.g. frogs, toads) are not suitable for families with children under 5 years of age or anyone with a weakened immune system .

Diseases that can be transmitted from dogs and cats

Dogs and cats are often found in our homes. They can transmit diseases such as:

• Campylobacter infection: This is an infection caused by a bacteria. When people get it, they can get diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever.
• Cat scratch disease: This is also a bacterial infection. It can cause swollen and painful lymph nodes, fever, headache, and fatigue.
• Rabies: This is a very dangerous disease, but it has been greatly reduced because dogs and cats are now vaccinated.
• Diseases carried by ticks: When pets go outside, they can pick up fleas. These fleas can spread various diseases. Therefore, it is very important to use tick prevention products and to remove ticks quickly and safely if you see one.
• Ringworm: This is a fungal infection. Children can catch it from touching an infected dog or cat. It appears as a round, dry, scaly rash with a red, raised area around it, and a clear center.
• Toxocariasis: The eggs of a parasitic worm that lives in the intestines of dogs and cats can be passed to the soil through their feces. Children can catch the disease when they play in such soil. An infected child may have symptoms such as fever, cough or shortness of breath, enlarged liver, skin lesions, or swollen lymph nodes.
• Toxoplasmosis: This is a disease caused by a parasite found in cat feces. Healthy people usually do not show any major symptoms. However, it can cause serious problems for pregnant women and their unborn babies . It is also dangerous for people with weakened immune systems .

Therefore, pregnant mothers and those with weakened immune systems should not clean cat litter boxes.

Diseases that can be transmitted from birds

Even pet birds kept in cages can spread diseases like these:

• Cryptococcosis: This is a disease caused by a type of yeast found in the feces of birds, especially pigeons. People with weakened immune systems, especially those with HIV/AIDS, can develop pneumonia and meningitis (a type of brain infection).
• Psittacosis: Also known as "parrot fever," it is caused by a type of bacteria. It can be spread through contact with the feces of infected pet birds or through dust that accumulates in bird cages. The main symptoms are a cough, high fever, and headache.

Animals like chickens and ducks raised in the garden can also carry dangerous germs like Salmonella . Young children and people with weak immune systems should avoid handling such animals.

Risks from reptiles and amphibians

Reptiles (lizards, snakes, tortoises) and amphibians (frogs, toads) are not recommended as pets for children under 5 years of age. The main reason for this is the risk of contracting a disease called Salmonellosis . This infection causes symptoms such as stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. In young children, it can lead to serious conditions such as dehydration, meningitis, and sepsis (blood poisoning) .

Infections that can be transmitted from other animals

The following infections can occur when handling and caring for small animals (rodents) such as mice, hamsters, and fish:

• Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV): People can get LCMV from exposure to the urine, feces, or saliva of infected rodents. Pets like mice, gerbils, hamsters, and guinea pigs don't usually carry the virus. However, they can get it from wild mice, either in stores or at home. This infection causes flu-like symptoms, such as fever, body aches, headache, muscle aches, nausea, and vomiting. It can also progress to meningitis and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) . If a pregnant woman gets this infection, it can cause serious problems for her and her baby.
• Mycobacterium marinum: This infection occurs when people with skin lesions are exposed to water from dirty fish tanks (aquariums) or swimming pools. These infections are usually limited to the skin and are not very serious. However, they can be serious in people with HIV/AIDS or those with weakened immune systems.

How do we take care of a pet safely?

Okay, so now you understand that there are many ways that pets can spread diseases. But that doesn't mean we should stop raising animals. If you follow good hygiene practices, you can greatly reduce this risk. Here are some things you can do:

• Veterinary advice: After you bring a new pet into the family, take them to a veterinarian for a complete checkup and vaccinations. Regular checkups and vaccinations can help keep your pet healthy and reduce the risk of them spreading diseases to your family.
• Hand washing is a must: Teach your children to wash their hands after handling pets, handling their food, and cleaning cages, tanks, and litter boxes. Do the same.
• Safe cleaning: Wear gloves when removing animal waste. If you are cleaning a bird cage or chicken coop, wear a dust mask that covers your nose and mouth. Do not let young children clean cages or litter trays until they are able to do these things responsibly and safely.
• Be careful outside too: Remind children to wash their hands after visiting petting zoos, farms, or friends' homes that have animals.
• Avoid mouth contact: Remind everyone in the family to avoid kissing or touching pets' mouths, as infections can be transmitted through saliva.
• Clean environment: Keep your pet's area clean and free of feces. If your pet goes outside, always remove any feces outside and do not let children play in the area.
• Keep pets away from food preparation areas: If possible, keep pets away from food preparation areas. Do not bathe pets in the kitchen sink or bathroom sink, or wash fish tanks. Bathe your pet outside. Or take it to a professional pet grooming facility.
• Stay away from unfamiliar animals: Do not approach animals you do not recognize or animals that appear to be sick. Never keep a wild animal as a pet.
• Special attention to children: Be careful when you are around pets. Young children are more likely to get infections because they run around on the floor and play with animals, kiss them, share food with them, and put their fingers or other objects in their mouths that could be contaminated.

A final take-home message

A pet brings joy to the home. But to maintain that joy, we need to think about their health as well as our own. By following a few simple health habits, it's not that difficult to protect our family from diseases that can be transmitted from pets.

If you have any further questions about pet-borne infections, talk to your family doctor. If you have any concerns about your pet's health, talk to your veterinarian. The most important thing is that everyone stays healthy and happy!

` [Pets, health, infections, disease prevention, family health, animal health, zoonotic diseases]