Parasitic Diseases Commonly Contracted through Contact with Pet Feces
Source: "Pets and Parasites", American Family Physician
|
Disease |
Usual Victim |
Symptoms |
comments |
| Visceral larva migrans [roundworm] | child under 3, by ingestion | nausea; fever; liver enlargement; edema; blood in urine; seizures | puppies highly infective; beware also of uncovered sandboxes |
| Ocular larva migrans [roundworm] | older child, by ingestion | permanent loss of vision | puppies highly infective; beware also of uncovered sandboxes |
| Cutaneous larva migrans [hookworm] | anyone, by skin contact with contaminated soil | wandering tracks on skin near entry site; itching | puppies highly infective; beware also of uncovered sandboxes |
| Toxoplasmosis [intercellular protozoan] | anyone, by contact with cat feces OR transplacental transmission to unborn child | mononucleosis-like symptoms; retinosis; congenital defects | beware of uncovered sandboxes and litterboxes |
| Cryptosporidiosis [protozoan] | anyone, fecal/oral or contaminated water | diarrhea | |
| Giardiasis [protozoan] | anyone, fecal/oral or contaminated water | diarrhea; cramps |
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