There are a few infections that can be passed on from cats + dog to
people. Dog + cat bites are notorious for producing wounds with
Pasteurella sp. Its something like 50% of wounds from a dog bite + 75%
of wounds from a cat bite will be infected with Pasteurella sp. There
was an article in a fairly recent copy of the New England Journal of
Medicine that did a survey on animal bites. (They discounted a tiger
bite for some reason!!)
As for Toxoplasma .. a large percentage of cat owners will have
antibodies to Toxoplasma. They will have become infected at some stage -
usually related to litter trays - and will only feel as if they have a
slight cold. They wont realise that they have been infected. (I have 2
cats + have antibodies to it! lol) One of the main problems with
Toxoplasma... as well as a danger to the foetus in pregnant women... is
the risk to AIDS patients.
If the +ve serology is found early enough in HIV patients - they can be
treated with Septrin. Toxoplasma can cause brain abscesses and 20% of
Toxoplasma brain abscesses have negative serology.
So.... guess who's just been on a course!!!!
Anne :o)
Ok - I'm going to try + send this posting just once!!! Wish me luck!
Graham Shepherd wrote:
>> Bill Angel wrote in message ...
> >In article <7m5g84$l82$1 at gxsn.com>,
> >Graham Shepherd <muhero at globalnet.co.uk> wrote:
> >>...
> >>There probably aren't too many bacterial infections that commonly affect
> >>cats and dogs and people.
> >
> > I did a little research on the Web, and located one disease that
> >humans can contract from cats, and that is usually treated (in humans) by
> >taking antibiotics: Toxoplasmosis.
> >
> > According to what I read "Toxoplasma can grow and complete its
> >life cycle only in cats and other felines". Apparently, the current form
> >of the disease poses a significant health risk only to pregnant women (as
> >the disease can be passed on to the fetus) and to persons with "weakened
> >immune systems".
> >
> > --- Bill
> >
> >
>> Toxoplasma isn't a bacterium and can't be treated with antibiotics. It's a
> protozoan. It's difficult to diagnose clinically because the symptoms are
> mild (and it may be subclinical) and the differential diagnosis may include
> bacterial infections. Doctors overuse antibiotics anyway. Antenatal blood
> screening may include checking for antibody to toxoplasma. Unless something
> has appeared recently, there's no specific treatment for toxoplasma - for
> people or animals.
>> GS
