Cats and Zoonotic Diseases: Winn Feline Foundation

Cat Ownership for Immunocompromised People

Our immune system can be suppressed by many things including diabetes, kidney failure, some types of cancer, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and treatments for cancer, organ transplantation, and autoimmune disease. Many studies have proven the value of companion animals for immunocompromised people and have shown a decreased prevalence of depression among these owners. However, there are several important guidelines to pet ownership in these situations to protect the health and well-being of the people involved.

The most common diseases transmissible from animals to people (called zoonoses) are the intestinal infections caused by Salmonella and Campylobacter bacteria. The intestinal parasites Giardia and Cryptosporidia are causes of diarrhea and are also zoonotic. Two fungal diseases, dermatomycosis (also called ringworm) and sporotrichosis, cause infections of the skin and can be transmitted directly from pet to human. There are also other important diseases to consider and some common guidelines apply to all situations:

Keep your pet healthy and clean

Keep your pet’s vaccinations up to date and be sure your pet has an annual health exam

Do not let your pet drink from the toilet

Keep your pet indoors or outside only on a leash and supervised

Never feed your pet raw or undercooked meat, raw eggs, or unpasteurized milk

Have a plan for good flea and tick control

Keep your pet’s feeding and sleeping areas clean

Ensure your pet is spayed or neutered

Wash your hands after handling any pet

Have someone else do the cleaning chores; or if you must, wear gloves and a face mask and use disinfectant when cleaning urine, stools or vomit

Be very careful when handling any animal under 6 months of age, especially if it has diarrhea or appears to be ill .... [Read complete article]

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