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Diseases Shared
by Cats & People
Microsporum canis. It is most often found on young cats from
environments housing large numbers of cats. It is spread from cat to
person by direct contact with the cat or indirect contact with the
environment. Children and people with compromised immune systems are
most often infected. In people, it often appears as a round, red,
itchy, scaly patch of skin. Prevention of ringworm in people requires
appropriate treatment of the cat and the environment.
Toxoplasmosis
A small protozoan, Toxoplasma gondii, is an intestinal parasite of
cats that rarely produces any clinical signs in healthy cats. They
acquire the organism by eating infected rodents, birds or food
contaminated with feces. The organism is passed in the feces into the
environment and from there to people. Most people have no clinical
signs, but severe signs can occur in immunosuppressed people and in
unborn children. Cats can be protected from infection by keeping them
indoors and feeding processed cat food. Basic hygiene can prevent
infection in people. Gloves should be worn while working in gardens,
all food should be thoroughly washed prior to eating and meat should
be cooked to 160° F to inactivate tissue cysts. |
You are much more
likely to contract an infectious disease from a person than from your
cat. There are a small number of diseases that are shared by cats and
people. The relative risk from cats for most of these agents is very
low and can be reduced by good hygiene and providing appropriate
vaccinations and parasite control for your cat. If you are concerned
about a human infection you should contact your physician.
The more common zoonotic agents are:
1. Bartonella (organism that causes cat scratch disease)
2. Microsporum canis (organism that causes ringworm)
3. Toxoplasma gondii (protozoan parasite)
4. Rabies (virus that produces fatal encephalitis in all mammals)
Bartonella
This is the bacterium that causes cat-scratch disease, the most common
feline zoonoses in the United States. Fleas play an important role in
the transmission of this organism. Cat claws containing infected flea
dirt spread the organism when a kitten scratches a person. Affected
people usually have swollen lymph nodes and flu-like symptoms. Healthy
adults recover with no lasting effects; people with compromised immune
systems have much more severe symptoms. Flea prevention can stop the
spread of this disease from cats to people.
Ringworm
This superficial skin disease is caused by the fungus. |
