Can Your Pet Make You Sick?

Campylobacteriosis

More than 2 million cases of campylobacteriosis occur in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bacteria that cause the infection live in the intestinal tracts of dogs, cats, bird and even hamsters, and can be transmitted to humans through contaminated water and feces. While the infection is contagious and spreads quickly, people typically recover within two to five days. Symptoms include diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

In rare cases, people may develop Guillain-Barré syndrome, which affects the nervous system and can result in paralysis that lasts several weeks. It is estimated that approximately one in every 1,000 reported campylobacter illnesses leads to Guillain-Barré syndrome.

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Intestinal parasites

Approximately 14 percent of the U.S. population is infected with internal roundworms contracted from dogs and cats, according to the CDC. "Internal parasites can live inside your pet year-round," says Becker. Because roundworm eggs and microscopic adult worms can be excreted in the feces of dogs and cats and then transferred to the soil, children may be at a higher risk for contracting them while playing outside.

Don't assume your pets are parasite-free just because you don't find worms in their fecal matter. Parasitic worms can be difficult to find even with a microscope, says Becker. Symptoms of roundworm or hookworm infection include fever, cough, loss of appetite, weakness and lung congestion.

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Toxoplasmosis

More than 60 million people in the United States carry the Toxoplasma parasite, but very few have symptoms, according to the CDC. However, pregnant women can risk transferring the disease to their unborn children if they become infected. Most infected infants do not have symptoms at birth but can develop serious symptoms later in life, such as blindness or mental disability, according to the CDC. Occasionally, infected newborns have serious eye or brain damage at birth. Toxoplasmosis is most often transmitted through cat feces, but just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you need to give up your cat.

"Pediatricians tell people to get rid of their cats, but that's wrong. You're more likely to get [toxoplasmosis] from undercooked meat," says Becker. If you're pregnant, avoid changing the litter box; wear gloves when gardening outside to prevent contracting the parasite from infected soil; keep cats indoors, and avoid bringing any new cats or kittens into the household during pregnancy.

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Psittacosis

Also known as "parrot fever," psittacosis is a bacterial illness that can be transmitted when dried bird feces is inhaled. Infected individuals can be treated with antibiotics. Symptoms in humans are similar to pneumonia, and include high fever, headache, chills and dry cough, according to the CDC.

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Ringworm

The skin disease ringworm can be spread by direct contact with an infected pet's skin or hair. Caused by several different kinds of fungi, ringworm can be identified by a round, raised, itchy lesion with a ring or scale around the edge. The lesions can be found on the skin, scalp or nails. If you keep the skin clean and dry, apply over-the-counter antifungal powders or creams and wash your sheets daily, the infection should clear up within four weeks, according to the National Institutes of Health.

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Lymphocytic choriomeningitis

Rodents, such as mice, hamsters and guinea pigs, infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM) can transmit the virus to humans via their urine, feces or saliva. Just inhaling particles from an infected pet's bodily fluids is enough to pass on the disease. Approximately 5 percent of adults test positive for LCM at some time in their lives, according to the CDC. While pet rodents can become infected after coming in contact with wild rodents at a breeding facility, pet store or home, human infections from these pets are rare.

LCM can cause flu-like symptoms, including fever, fatigue, headache, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting, and can lead to meningitis or encephalitis if not treated. Because LCM can be transmitted to unborn children, pregnant women should avoid contact with pet rodents whenever possible.

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Mycobacteria marinum

People can contract mycobacterium marinum through direct contact with aquarium water contaminated with the bacteria. Symptoms of the disease involve localized skin lesions, which usually appear on the fingers and hands. In rare cases, the bacteria can spread in the body and cause joint and bone infections, according to the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University.

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Rabies

One of the most deadly viruses animals can transfer to humans is rabies, which infects the central nervous system and causes death within days. While wild animals -- such as raccoons, skunks and foxes -- are most likely to carry rabies, any warm-blooded animal can pass the infection to humans through biting. More than 55,000 people die of rabies each year, according to the World Health Organization. However, with nearly 95 percent of reported deaths occurring in Asia and Africa, rabies cases are rare in the U.S. In 2006, only 79 cases of rabies in domestic dogs were reported.

Symptoms of rabies can take several weeks to develop in dogs and cats, and include disorientation, irritability and seizures. The most well-known symptom of rabies is foaming at the mouth, which occurs when the virus attacks the nerves in the head and throat. Because rabies causes paralysis, animals will eventually go into respiratory failure and die due to paralysis of the diaphragm, according to the CDC. To prevent infection, make sure your pets are up to date with their rabies vaccinations, and stay away from wild animals.

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Cat scratch fever

Ted Nugent knows a thing or two about cat scratch fever. While it's not particularly dangerous, cat scratch fever (also known as cat scratch disease) is spread through cat bites and scratches. Forty percent of cats carry the disease at some point in their lives, but kittens are more likely to be infected, according to the CDC. Cats have no symptoms of the bacterial disease, but humans can suffer from fever, headache, fatigue and a poor appetite. Symptoms can last from six to 12 weeks before the infection clears up on its own. Be sure to seek medical attention for deep cat bites, says Becker. "It's like two hypodermic needles injecting bacteria deep into your hand."

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Leptospirosis

Prevalent in rural, suburban and urbanized areas, leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that can be transmitted to pets through drinking or swimming in stagnant water. Humans and animals can become infected through contact with contaminated urine, water or soil. Symptoms in animals include vomiting, refusal to eat, severe weakness and diarrhea. In humans, the symptoms are flu-like, but can sometimes develop into a more severe, life-threatening illness with infections in the kidney, liver, brain, lungs and heart, according to the CDC.