Beware of the risk of infectious diseases from pets

Nghe An Newspaper had an interview with Master, Doctor Nguyen Huy Anh - Deputy Head of the Department of Infectious Disease Prevention, Nghe An Center for Disease Control about this issue.

PV:Recently, many people have come to Nghe An Center for Disease Control for examination due to allergies related to dog and cat roundworm infection. Can you tell us more about this phenomenon, as well as explain the cause of the disease?

Master, Doctor Nguyen Huy Anh:As society develops, pets increasingly play a special role, almost like a member of the family: Living, eating, sleeping with the owner, etc., bringing much joy to the lives of the owners. However, pets are a place that contains many pathogens that can be transmitted to humans. If you do not know how to care for and prevent them, they will be a danger to the owners.

Diseases transmitted from animals to humans are generally called infectious diseases. The closer contact with animals or their waste and secretions, the higher the risk of infection for humans, specifically:

The most common disease transmitted to humans from pets but little attention and concern from people is the condition of being infected with many types of parasites such as: Dog and cat roundworms, dog hookworms, dog tapeworms, etc. Many people have been infected with dog and cat roundworms for many years with initial symptoms of itching. They often go to dermatology clinics but after a long time of treatment, they still do not recover. After going to the clinic of the Center for Disease Control for examination and testing, the results were positive for dog and cat roundworms.

The subjects infected with dog and cat worm larvae are very diverse, even children from 2-3 years old. The disease causes damage to the liver, brain, spleen, kidneys and causes allergic immune phenomena with symptoms of itching and prolonged rash.

Dog and cat roundworms can be transmitted to humans in many different ways. When pets are infected with roundworms, after parasitizing, the eggs will develop and be released into the environment through feces. Every day, this pet can excrete thousands of roundworm eggs. Roundworm eggs in pet feces released into the environment can contaminate water sources and foods such as vegetables and fruits. If people have the habit of eating raw vegetables or uncooked food, they are very susceptible to infection.

In addition, dog and cat hair flying into human food can also cause infection with roundworms. The habit of caring for, hugging, kissing pets or not using necessary protective equipment is also a risk of infection.

When worms enter the human body, they move to the intestines, break out of their shells and become larvae, then penetrate the intestinal wall and travel through the bloodstream to organs in the body. The most dangerous is when they cause damage to the lungs, eyes, liver, and brain... Depending on the location, the symptoms are different, including some obvious symptoms such as prolonged itching, hives, rashes... due to larvae moving under the skin. In addition, the patient may have abdominal pain, headache, fever, and skin lesions.

To treat the disease, doctors will prescribe specific drugs to treat the larvae of roundworms of dogs and cats and the symptoms of itching. During the treatment, some patients respond quickly but others have to take 2-3 courses of treatment to recover. It is very worrying that the number of patients infected with these larvae has been increasing recently and even taking deworming medicine twice a year cannot eliminate roundworms of dogs and cats and must follow a specific treatment schedule.

According to statistics from the Provincial Center for Disease Control, every year in Nghe An, thousands of people infected with dog and cat roundworm larvae are detected and treated. In 2023, the Nghe An Provincial Center for Disease Control received about 12,900 visits, of which 10,862 were patients infected with roundworms from dogs and cats. In the first 4 months of 2024 alone, there were 2,011 visits, with 1,984 people infected with roundworms from dogs and cats.

With common pets such as dogs and cats, in addition to roundworm disease in cats, owners also face the risk of rabies due to dog and cat bites and scratches that transmit the rabies virus to the human body. The incubation period for rabies is from 2 to 8 weeks, and can even last a year, depending on the severity of the wound, the location of the wound, and the amount of rabies virus transmitted to humans. There is currently no cure for rabies. People infected with rabies virus when they have an attack are 100% fatal.

In addition, there is a disease caused by Pasteurella staphylococcus infection that causes fever, swelling, bone inflammation, blood infection and death. Bacteria often reside in the mouth and respiratory tract of animals, especially cats. Infection to humans through scratches and skin lesions.

Another risk factor is that Leptospira bacteria are excreted in the urine of pets if the animal is infected. It can cause direct or indirect infection to humans. When infected, people with this disease often have fever, vomiting, chills and red rash, which can lead to kidney failure if not treated and more dangerously, this bacteria can cause infertility in humans.

PV:It is known that not only dogs and cats but also many other pets such as birds and chickens can cause diseases to their owners. What are these diseases and how dangerous are they?

Master, Doctor Nguyen Huy Anh:There are 3 types of infectious diseases from birds and chickens that are harmful to humans that are often talked about, which are avian influenza (A/H5N1 flu), Ornithose disease (bird fever) and Psittacose disease (parrot fever). Of these, avian influenza transmitted to humans is a highly pathogenic strain, infected people often have serious progression and high mortality rates (about 50%). Currently, there is still no specific treatment and no vaccine to prevent the disease...

According to the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health), on March 23, 2024, Vietnam had 1 death due to avian influenza. The patient was a 21-year-old male living in Tan Ninh village, Ninh Trung commune, Ninh Hoa town, Khanh Hoa province. Epidemiological investigation results showed that before and after the Lunar New Year 2024, the patient went to trap wild birds near his residence (there were no sick or dead poultry in this area).

With Ornithosis (bird fever), many types of birds are infected with this disease such as pigeons, sparrows, some wild birds that are kept as pets... The culprit causing the disease in birds is a type of rickettsia (microorganisms with a structure similar to bacterial cells). Birds transmit the disease to humans through feces or feathers infected with rickettsia. It enters the body through the respiratory tract, sometimes through food into the digestive tract. Symptoms of the disease are similar to acute pneumonia: High fever, headache, difficulty breathing, cough with purulent phlegm, muscle pain in the limbs and lumbar region...

Psittacosis is a serious disease of parrots and falcons caused by a virus. People get infected by inhaling virus-infected dust, swallowing dusty food, feathers, and sick parrot droppings. The incubation period is 8-10 days on average. People with mild cases will feel tired, have insomnia, dizziness, and vomit. Body temperature can rise to 39-40 degrees Celsius, sweating, joint and spine pain, and severe pain in the forehead and temples. There are also symptoms of rhinitis, pharyngitis, and cough. The disease often starts like bronchitis, and after a week, signs of pneumonia begin to appear. Patients recover after 7-10 days.

In severe cases, the patient has a high fever (40 degrees Celsius) continuously, fatigue, insomnia, and physical deterioration. There are obvious neurological symptoms (tremors, eyes staring blankly, drowsiness or restlessness), little urine, dark color, and high albumin content. In the second week, the patient shows severe pulmonary symptoms. The patient has severe bronchitis - pneumonia, with very large inflammatory foci in both lungs, possibly with pleural reaction. The patient is likely to die at this time or in the third week, due to cardiovascular collapse or pulmonary edema.

PV:Nowadays, through understanding, there are quite a lot of teenagers who choose to raise turtles, salamanders, monitor lizards… as pets. Do these animals carry pathogens that are dangerous to humans?

Master, Doctor Nguyen Huy Anh:It is important to note that all pets have the potential to transmit diseases to humans, including turtles and reptiles. Many diseases from turtles and reptiles can be transmitted to humans by bacteria, fungi, viruses, or parasites that enter the mouth. They can also be transmitted through the air, or through a break in the skin. There are four common diseases from turtles and reptiles that can be transmitted to humans: Salmonella, Clostridium botulism, Campylobacter, and Leptospirosis.

Salmonella is commonly found in all reptiles and can be transmitted from reptiles to humans. Salmonella bacteria from turtles and reptiles can be transmitted to owners when owners put something contaminated with turtle or reptile feces in their mouths or simply put a turtle or reptile (small or medium size) in their mouths. Salmonella bacteria can cause diarrhea, headaches, fever. It can also cause stomach cramps, typhoid fever or lead to blood poisoning and even death.

Clostridium bacteria are found in abundance in the environment, including soil and mud. Animals that live close to the ground, such as turtles and reptiles, are often infected with Clostridium. Clostridium poisoning is a serious, life-threatening condition in humans caused by bacteria that cause paralysis and death. In adults, a type of bacteria develops that inhibits Clostridium. But infants have not yet developed this "protective shield."

Campylobacteriosis is an intestinal infection caused by Campylobacter bacteria. These bacteria are usually found in the feces of infected people or animals. People can be mildly ill or severely ill. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, fever, and seizures within 2–5 days of ingesting the bacteria.

Leptospirosis is an infection caused by the bacteria Leptospirosis. It is commonly found in wild animals and reptiles. The infection is spread through contact with the urine of an infected animal. This contact can occur directly through cuts or abrasions on the body or through the mucous membranes of the mouth, throat, and eyes. People infected with this disease often have flu-like symptoms, along with a persistent and severe headache.

PV:With so many dangers, who should not keep pets? What recommendations do doctors have for people to be able to both keep pets and effectively prevent disease transmission?

Master, Doctor Nguyen Huy Anh:Raising pets is becoming a trend, a hobby of many people, many families. How to live safely with pets without worrying about the risk of infection, the first thing everyone needs to do is raise awareness about the disease and implement good preventive measures.

First of all, for pets such as dogs and cats, it is necessary to manage and vaccinate against diseases, especially rabies, according to the recommendations of the veterinary industry. Regularly pay attention to the health status of pets to have measures to prevent diseases for pets and humans. Clean pets according to the instructions of veterinary experts.

Wash your hands with soap after contact with pets to prevent the transmission of pathogens. Minimize close contact with pets... Teach young children in the house about disease prevention behaviors: wash hands after playing with pets, do not hug, kiss or feed them together, inform adults if they are scratched or bitten by pets, especially dogs or cats. Do not let pets play near food preparation areas.

Do not adopt wild animals of unknown origin. Limit contact with wild animals, especially birds. Pet owners who experience unusual health symptoms should immediately go to a medical facility for accurate and effective examination and treatment.

PV:Thank you doctor!