Do you have a cute puppy, kitten, or bird at home? Maybe you work on a farm and spend your days with animals like cows, goats, and chickens. In fact, animals are a very close part of our lives. But did you know that sometimes these beloved animals can transmit various diseases to us? That is what we are going to talk about in this article today. This is what we call `(Zoonotic Diseases)` or diseases of animal origin.
What are these zoonotic diseases?
Simply put, ``Zoonotic Diseases`` are infectious diseases that can spread between animals (especially vertebrates - animals with a backbone, such as cattle, sheep, rats, dogs, cats, bats, birds) and humans. Because these animals have similar bodily functions to ours, some pathogens can adapt to live in both.
Think about it, there are some animal diseases that can only be transmitted from animals to humans, but not from one person to another. Other diseases, like Ebola, can be transmitted from animals to humans, and then spread to humans, causing epidemics. There are other diseases, like HIV and COVID-19, that first come from animals to humans, and then mutate and become only spread to humans. When that happens, we stop calling them zoonotic diseases, but other forms of those diseases can still exist in animals.
What could be the symptoms of these animal diseases?
In fact, symptoms vary depending on the disease. However, some common symptoms include:
- Fever.
- Feeling of extreme fatigue.
- Headache.
- Body pain.
- Skin lesions or rashes.
- Diarrhea.
- Vomiting.
If you have one or more of these symptoms, especially if you are someone who interacts with animals, it is wise to seek medical advice.
Why do we get these animal diseases? What are the causes?
Zoonotic diseases can be caused by a variety of pathogens. The main causes are:
- Bacteria: These are small, single-celled organisms. They often produce toxins, which are what make us sick.
- Parasites: These can be parasitic worms, or they can be single-celled organisms like protozoa.
- Viruses: These are very small particles that contain genetic information. They use our cells to make copies of themselves.
- Fungi: These fungi cause diseases like eczema.
- Prions: This may be a new word for you. These are a special type of protein that can damage the brain.
Most pathogens live only in one type of organism – humans, certain animals, plants, or other microbes. But the pathogens that cause ``zoonotic diseases'' can infect both humans and other vertebrates. Or, the pathogens may have originally been confined to a particular species of animal, but over time, mutations have allowed them to ``jump'' to humans.
Most of these animal diseases are caused by bacteria, parasites, or viruses.
Bacterial Zoonoses
Here are some examples:
- `(Anthrax)` (Anthrax)
- `(Brucellosis)` (Brucellosis)
- `(Cat scratch disease)`
- `(Lyme disease)` (Lyme disease)
- `(Mycoplasma pneumoniae)`
- `(Plague)` (Pandemic)
- `(Psittacosis)` (Parrot fever)
- `(Q fever)` (Q fever)
- `(Salmonella)` (Salmonella - you've probably heard this a lot, especially in relation to food)
- `(Tularemia)`
- `(Tuberculosis)` (Tuberculosis - This can also be transmitted from animals)
Animal diseases caused by parasites (Parasitic Zoonoses)
Examples of this:
- `(Cryptosporidiosis)`
- Echinococcosis (an example is hydatid disease)
- `(Giardiasis)`
- `(Liver fluke)` (Liver worms)
- `(Malaria)` (Malaria - transmitted by mosquitoes, but has animal origins)
- `(Taeniasis)` (a tapeworm disease transmitted through pork, beef, etc.)
- `(Toxoplasmosis)` (This can often be transmitted through cat feces, pregnant mothers should be especially careful)
- `(Trichinosis)`
Viral Zoonoses
Examples of this:
- `(Avian influenza)` (bird flu)
- `(Ebola)` (Ebola)
- `(Nipah virus)` (Nipah virus - This was also reported to have spread from bats in our region)
- `(Marburg virus disease)`
- `(Mpox)` (formerly also called monkeypox)
- `(Rabies)` (Rabies - This is a deadly disease that we should all be aware of)
In addition, diseases such as ringworm , caused by fungi , and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) , caused by prions (also called "mad cow disease"), can be transmitted from animals to humans.
How do we get these animal diseases?
There are various ways in which we can contract these diseases. They are:
- By coming into contact with the bodily fluids (blood, urine, feces, saliva, etc.) of infected animals. Think about cleaning your pet when it is sick, or treating a wound on a farm animal.
- By being bitten or scratched by infected animals. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal such as a dog, cat, or monkey, you need to be careful.
- By biting insects such as ticks, mosquitoes, and fleas. These insects can bite an infected animal and then infect us with the disease.
- By eating undercooked meat.
- By drinking dirty water (or eating food washed in that water).
Important: Sometimes we can be exposed to these things without even realizing it. That's why it's very important to always stay clean and follow safe practices.
What kind of animals transmit these diseases?
In fact, just about any animal can carry these animal diseases. For example:
- Bats
- Birds
- Cats
- Deer
- Dogs
- Farm animals (such as cattle, pigs, sheep)
- Non-human primates, such as monkeys and apes
- Small mammals like mice, rabbits, and moles (Rodents)
There are plenty of animals like this around us, right? So it's best for us to be careful.
Who is at higher risk of developing these animal diseases?
Some people are at a slightly higher risk of developing these diseases. They are:
- People who work with animals as a job or hobby (e.g. veterinarians, farm workers, zookeepers).
- People who hunt, prepare, or eat the meat of wild animals.
- People with weakened immune systems (e.g., HIV infected people, cancer patients, organ transplant recipients).
If you fall into this category, it's best to take a few extra precautions.
How do doctors diagnose these animal diseases?
Doctors usually diagnose these diseases by examining samples of your body tissue or fluids. These may include:
- Blood sample `(Blood)`
- Stool sample `(Stool)`
- Sputum sample (phlegm from the lungs)
- Mucus swab (a sample of mucus taken from the nose or throat)
Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may also need to do imaging tests, such as a chest X-ray or a CT scan.
What are the treatments for these animal diseases?
Treatment depends on the type of infection you have. There are no specific medications for every animal disease. However, there are some commonly used treatments:
- Antibiotics: Many bacterial infections can be cured, especially if detected early.
- Antivirals: These drugs are given for some viral infections.
- Antifungals: Creams or tablets are given for fungal infections like eczema.
- Antiparasitic medications: These can cure many parasitic infections.
- Monoclonal antibodies: These are used for some difficult-to-treat diseases, such as Ebola.
- Surgery: Some parasites cause cysts in the body that need to be removed surgically.
- Vaccination and immune globulin: Imagine, if you are bitten or scratched by an animal that you suspect may have rabies, doctors don't wait for symptoms to appear. They will give you a rabies vaccine right away and also inject something called human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) into the wound to prevent infection.
Can these animal diseases be fatal?
Yes, some animal diseases can be very serious and life-threatening. Viral hemorrhagic fevers, such as Ebola and Marburg, have a high mortality rate. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. However, most animal diseases are treatable and rarely fatal. So don't panic, it's important to be aware.
How can we protect ourselves from these animal diseases?
There are several things we can do to protect ourselves from these diseases:
- Getting vaccinated: There are vaccines for some diseases like `(Mpox)`, `(Rabies)`, `(Ebola)`. If you are in a risk group, getting these vaccines will provide protection. However, there are no vaccines for all animal diseases.
- Protect yourself from insect bites: Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, and use a mosquito repellent containing DEET. Check yourself and your pets for ticks after being outdoors. Consult your veterinarian to protect your pets from ticks and fleas.
- Wear gloves when handling animals (live or dead): Never touch a wild animal with your bare hands. Even if you wear gloves, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling animals.
- Follow food safety practices: Cook meats thoroughly. Always wash hands, surfaces, and utensils thoroughly after preparing food. Avoid drinking or using untreated water to prepare food. Avoid drinking unpasteurized milk or eating foods made from such milk.
- Avoid contact with infected body fluids: In severe cases of Ebola, use protective equipment (such as a face mask, goggles, apron, gloves) when caring for an infected person. Avoid touching their body fluids, and wash your hands thoroughly if you do come into contact with them, even if you are wearing gloves. Avoid touching anything that has come into contact with infected body fluids.
- Avoid eating bush meat.
- Try to avoid being bitten or scratched by animals. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal (especially bats, dogs, cats) that may have rabies, seek medical advice immediately.
When should I see a doctor?
If you work with animals or are at high risk of developing animal diseases, talk to your doctor. He or she can help you reduce your risk and tell you what symptoms to look out for.
When should I go to the Emergency Department (ETU) ?
If you have these serious symptoms, go to an emergency room immediately:
- Very high fever (over 103 Fahrenheit/40 Celsius).
- Severe vomiting or diarrhea.
- Confusion or other mental changes.
- Abnormal bleeding.
- Severe headache.
- Chest or abdominal pain.
Finally, remember (Take-Home Message)
So, you can see that no matter how much we love animals, we still need to be a little careful because they can transmit diseases to us. Many of the diseases we've discussed in this article can be cured if diagnosed and treated at the right time.
The most important thing is to be aware of how to protect yourself from such diseases, follow good hygiene practices, and if you experience any suspicious symptoms, do not waste time and seek medical advice immediately.
Let's keep our beloved animals healthy, and let's stay healthy too!
` Animal diseases, Zoonotic Diseases, Animal-borne diseases, Infections, Health, Safety, Symptoms
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