Zoonotic Diseases

• What is a zoonotic disease?

  An infectious disease that can be transmitted to humans
• When handling suspected zoonotic animals it’s important to:

  • Wear appropriate PPE
  • Infection control measures like barrier nursing
  • Isolation rooms, areas that can be easily cleaned and disinfected, limited people having access with sign-in sheet, disposable PPE/ equipment
• Ringworm

  Fungus and ectoparasite

  Spread via direct contact

  Circular patches, red scabby skins, patches of hair or fur loss, dry and brittle coat and claws.

  Topical treatments - creams, shampoos, ointments

  Anti-fungal oral medication

  Cleaning and treatment of animals environment

  Vaccines are available
• Salmonella 


  Bacterial infection of the intestine, many animals carry without getting ill.

  Bacteria passed on to unborn offspring or direct contact, present in faeces and contaminate environment and food.

  Symptoms- diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, loss of appetite

  Treatment- Antibiotics, sufficiently hydrating animal

  Prevention- Keeping living areas clean, washing hands after handling animals
• Campylobacter 


  bacterial infection of the gut.

  Many animals have it but don’t get ill, particularly common in poultry but rarely contract the disease.

  Symptoms- fever, diarrhoea, lack of appetite and vomiting

  Treatment- Antibiotics for acute cases

  Prevention- Keeping living areas clean and vaccinations, prevent contamination of food and water
• Cat Scratch Fever

  Bacterial Infection carried by cats but rarely gets ill.

  Spreads through cats through flea vector, can affect other animals.

  Signs- Fever, swelling, lymph node swelling, coughing, lesions on skin, weight loss, tiredness

  Treatment- antibiotics

  Prevent- prevention of fleas and ticks
• Leptospirosis 


  Bacterial disease spread through urine, passed through contaminated water

  Signs- Vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, weakness, loss of appetite.

  Treatment- antibiotics

  Prevention- Limit exposure to rodents and vaccinations are available but not always 100% effective.
• Lyme Disease

  Bacterial disease transmitted by tick vector.

  Not transmitted directly from animal to animal.

  Symptoms- Fever, swelling of joints, loss of appetite, lameness

  Treatment- Antibiotics

  Prevention- Avoid wild areas where ticks are found, use tick prevention, vaccinations
• Psittacosis 


  Bacteria - ‘parrot fever‘

  Spread through dropping or bodily secretions

  Signs- Eye discharge, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, lethargy

  Treatment- Antibiotics but mixed results

  Prevention- Disinfection and cleanliness, avoid wild birds
• Cheyletiella


  Mites that live of surface of skin

  Look like dandruff

  Most common in dogs, cats and rabbits

  Signs- White flakes in coat, itching, loss of fur

  Treatment- Topical treatments: Sprays, shampoos, dips

  Prevention- Spread through close contact so prevent contact with infected animals.
• Sarcoptic mange 


  Disease of the skin caused by mites that burrow

  Spread directly or fomites

  Signs- itching, loss of hair, skin rash, red lesions

  Treatment- Topical: medicated shampoos, dips for mites.

  Oral Antibiotics for infections due to damaged skin

  Treatments kill mites but not eggs so repeat treating

  Prevention- Quarantine and isolate infected animals and wash and disinfect all areas
• Toxoplasmosis

  Parasite found in most mammals but cats are hosts so can only lay eggs.

  Signs- most cats have no symptoms however faeces buried are dangerous to pregnant coats and sheep. Pregnant women are also at risk. Women should avoid sheep during lambing season.

  Treatment- Antibiotics for cats affected by disease

  Prevention

  No vaccine- significant risk to pregnant women