Monday October 6, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new report
by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) warns that exposing children to nontraditional
pets such as rodents, reptiles, and monkeys may increase risk of infections and
injuries such as salmonella and E coli infections.
Nontraditional pets considered in the review include
exotic animals, indigenous wildlife and wildlife hybrids including amphibians,
fish, mammals: wildlife, domesticated livestock, equines, weasels, lagomorphs
(rabbits), rodents, feral animals (cats, dogs, horses and swine) and reptiles.
"Nontraditional pets can expose kids to disease they
otherwise might not be exposed to," co-author Dr. Robert Frenck, at
Cincinnati Children's Hospital and a member of the AAP committee on infectious
diseases was quoted by healthday.com as saying.
The common pets and associated diseases reviewed in the
report are cited below.
Reptiles are commonly linked to Salmonella.
Six percent of all sporadic salmonella
infections in the US or about 74,000 cases each year result from exposure to
reptiles or amphibians.
Rodents including hamsters and other rodents are also
commonly linked to salmonella illnesses caused by a number of strains.
Monkeys can carry herpes B virus. Cases of its infection
have been reported in people who were bitten, scratched by infected animals.
Fish can harbor bacteria including Aeromonas species,
Vibrio species, Edwardsiella species, Salmonella species, Streptococcus iniae,
and Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae.
Animals kept at public settings can also pose risk as well.
Between 1991 and 2005, more than 5 outbreaks of human diseases have been
reported including serious E. coli O157:H7 infection in public settings such as
public settings such as zoos and science museums, and petting zoos.
The authors said in their report "Parents need to be
educated about the increased risks of exposure to nontraditional pets and
animals in public settings for infants and for children younger than 5 years
and for immunosuppressed people of all ages and should be made aware of the
general recommendations for reduction of risks of infection, injury, and
allergy."
The report was published in the October issue of
Pediatrics.
Source:
Published online October 1, 2008
PEDIATRICS Vol. 122 No. 4 October 2008, pp. 876-886 (doi:10.1542/peds.2008-1942)
Exposure to Nontraditional Pets at Home and to Animals in Public Settings: Risks to Children
Larry K. Pickering, MD, Nina Marano, DVM, MPH, Joseph A. Bocchini, MD, Frederick J. Angulo, DVM, PhD and the Committee on Infectious Diseases
For more information on specific pet and their risk, read below.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides detailed information on pets and associated with risks.
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