Animals may transmit diseases to humans.
Animals, both domesticated and wild, can carry many diseases. If you decide to adopt a stray, have him examined by a vet promptly. You should also avoid touching a wild animal, and warn your children against touching dead animals. Aside from the well-recognized rabies, some other diseases that animals can carry include mad cow disease, cat scratch fever, Lyme disease and the plague.
Mad Cow Disease
Cattle infected with mad cow disease may sicken humans.
Mad cow disease is also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE. It is a neurological disorder that primarily affects cattle. This disease is caused by an infection that attacks the cow's central nervous system. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), mad cow disease likely originated because of the practice of feeding the cattle infected meat and bone meal. Mad cow disease was of particular concern in the 1990s. In 1993, the CDC confirmed nearly 1,000 new cases of the disease every week in the United Kingdom.
Mad cow disease is not curable. Humans who eat beef that is infected with the disease may develop a rare brain disorder known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Cat Scratch Fever
Wash any cat scratches promptly.
Cat scratch fever, also known as cat scratch disease, is caused by a bacteria known as Bartonella henselae. According to the CDC, roughly 40 percent of cats are host to this bacteria at least once during their lifetimes. This disease can be transmitted to humans through cat scratches or bites. An infected person may develop inflamed lymph nodes, fatigue, headache, fever and loss of appetite. If you are scratched or bitten by a cat, wash the wound carefully with soap and water. Apply antibiotic ointment. And never allow any cat to lick you near broken or damaged skin. See your doctor if a wound becomes swollen and filled with pus.
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi. Lyme disease is often transmitted through the bite of a tick. Ticks may infect not only humans but also horses, dogs, cats and other animals. The CDC notes that not every person infected with Lyme disease will experience the same symptoms. Some people may not experience any symptoms at all in the early stages. However, some common symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache and other flu-like symptoms. Infected people may also develop a "bull's eye" rash within one to two weeks of being bitten.
To protect yourself from Lyme disease, the Mayo Clinic recommends wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants in wooded areas. Avoid tall grass, and wear an insect repellent.
Plague
Never touch wild rodents.
The plague, also called the Black Death, is infamous for causing millions of deaths in medieval Europe. According to the CDC, there are still about 10 to 15 cases of plague in the United States annually, and about 1,000 to 3,000 cases every year worldwide. This infectious disease is caused by bacteria called Yersinia pestis. It is typically carried by rats, as well as fleas that infest rats.
A person treated promptly with a course of antibiotics will typically make a full recovery. If left untreated, the plague may result in death. Common symptoms of the plague include fever, chills, muscle aches, headache, gangrene, bleeding from the nose or rectum or mouth, and pneumonia symptoms (respiratory problems).
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