Veterinary Epidemiology and Zoonosis

ROLE OF DOMESTICATED PETS/COMPANION ANIMALS IN TRANSMISSION OF ZOONOTIC DISEASES

• Our cave dwelling ancestors used dogs as the co-partner in hunting job. Subsequently, in all civilization dogs were used as guards, companions and hunters and in times of war. So, first pet animal of man was dogs, then cats, horses and some birds. Pet animals kept for pleasures and companionship are usually domesticated and selectively bred for coexistence with human beings, besides their value as pets, pets serve utilitarian purposes protecting homes and property, destroying vermin and providing means of transport.
• At least 40 different diseases can be transmitted from pets to people. They may be acquired from direct contact with infected animals or from the animal’s excreta. Sometimes just breathing the air in the vicinity of man, infected pet can cause illness.
• ‘We are so fond of one another, because our ailments are the same’. There is close association between domestic animals and human population (rural, urban, agricultural workers, veterinarians, butchers) which leads to transmission of zoonotic diseases from animals to human beings.
• Two third of the domestic animals are reservoirs for many zoonotic diseases. The incidences of zoonotic diseases depend on, the number of infected animals, route of transmission, level of interaction between man and animals and existing preventive and control measures.

Protection from zoonotic diseases of pets

• Acquire pets only from a reliable dealer who practices good sanitations.
• Do not attempt to take wild or sick animals or monkeys as pets.
• Keep your pets clean and properly housed.
• Practice good hygiene.
• Wash hands thoroughly after playing with or handling your pets.
• Wash hands after cleaning the cage or aquarium as well as after handling an animal or pet treats and before handling food or eating.
• Pregnant women should avoid cleaning of cats (carriers for toxoplasmosis) and its faeces and cages to avoid contacting of toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis causes abortion in pregnant women.
• Do not let it lick your face.
• Keep pet's utensils separate.
• Keep pets out of people’s bed.
• Health education to the public should be given highest priority.
• The high risk group should be protected by administration of specific immunization.
• Infected pets and the areas where the pets commonly reside should be treated with appropriate insecticides for fleas, ticks, mites and their larvae.
• Have a ‘veterinarian check’ over a new pet and provide needed immunizations.  

Table: Examples of diseases transmitted from different species of domestic/companion animals to man

Domestic / companion animals	Examples of zoonoses
Dogs	Hydatidosis, Visceral larva migrans (VLM), Cutaneous larva migrans (CLM), Rabies, Leptospirosis
Cats	Rabies, Toxoplasmosis
Love birds	Psittacosis/Ornithosis
Ornamental fishes	Erysipelas
Equines	Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), Western equine encephalitis (WEE), Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE), Glanders
Cattle	Foot and mouth disease (FMD), Rabies, Cow pox, Milker’s nodules, Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease), rucellosis, Leptospirosis, Campylobacteriosis, Anthrax
Sheep	Q-fever, Leptospirosis, Listeriosis, Brucellosis, Anthrax
Goats	Orf, Brucellosis, Leptospirosis, Anthrax
Pigs	Trichinosis, Erysipelosis, Salmonellosis, Anthrax, Swine influenza, Japanese encephalitis
Poultry	Avian influenza, Newcastle disease virus conjunctivitis, Listeriosis, Mycobacterium avium, Toxoplasmosis