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PubMed2003

Cross-species infections.

Animals have always been a major source of human infectious disease. Some infections like rabies are recognized as primary zoonoses caused in each case by direct animal-to-human transmission, whereas others like measles become independently sustained within the human population so that the causative virus has diverged from its morbillivirus progenitor in ruminants. Recent examples of direct zoonoses are variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease arising from bovine spongiform encephalopathy, and the H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in Hong Kong. Recent epidemic diseases of animal origin are the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic, and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome pandemic caused by human immunodeficiency virus. Some retroviruses move into and out of the chromosomal DNA of the host germline, so that they may oscillate between being an avirulent inherited Mendelian trait in one species and an infectious pathogen in another. Cross-species viral and other infections are reviewed historically with respect to the evolution of virulence and the concern about iatrogenic enhancement of cross-species transfer by medical procedures akin to xenotransplantation.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Are New World leishmaniases becoming anthroponoses?

In the New World, leishmaniases are originally wild exoanthropic zoonoses developing in sylvatic ecotopes. For a long time, Leishmania parasites have shown a remarkable plasticity to face modifications in their environment. Now, both geographical extension and numerical increase of leishmaniasis cases in the New World are giving cause for concern. These circumstances might have been provoked by the simple invasion of zoonotic foci by humans. However, dramatic evolutionary mechanisms are also at work in the New World: (i) the reduction of biodiversity associated with anthropogenic environmental changes (deforestation and urbanization); and (ii) the subsequent adaptations and interactions of new vectors and reservoir hosts at the interface with humans. This paper considers that these processes could result in new pathogenic complexes tending to synanthropic zoonoses, if not anthroponoses. Increasing man-made risk factors could thus possibly make leishmaniases a growing public health concern in the New World.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Zoonotic infections in Nigeria: overview from a medical perspective.

Infections of domestic and wild animals that are transmitted directly or by an arthropod vector to humans are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and particularly in Nigeria. With a population of over 100 million and the need for improved health care delivery, Nigerians are at considerable risk considering the seriousness of these infections. Zoonotic infections that are endemic in Nigeria include tuberculosis, trypanosomiasis, toxoplasmosis, taeniasis, rabies, lassa fever and yellow fever. Zoonotic food-borne infections (caused by Campylobacter, Salmonella and Escherichia coli O157:H7) and cryptosporidiosis are emerging. Sporadic cases such as strongyloidiasis, ascariasis, leptospirosis, scabies, pentastomiasis and African histoplasmosis have been reported. There is a need to determine the prevalence of tick-borne zoonoses. Prevention and control of zoonoses in humans is by vaccination, treatment and health education. As a first measure to improve control, the link between veterinary and medical officers, which is presently very weak, needs to be strengthened. Furthermore, regional multidisciplinary approaches to the control of zoonotic infections should be adopted in West Africa, which take into consideration the huge inter-border traffic.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

[Infections associated with pets].

INTRODUCTION: Domestic pets can transmit numerous infections, including bacterial, parasitic, fungal, and viral diseases. This paper reports the epidemiologic, clinical, therapeutic and prophylactic data of these zoonoses. CURRENT KNOWLEDGE AND KEY POINTS: The routes of transmission are various. Bites and scratches are the most common health hazards and result in localized infections. Pasteurellosis, various aerobic and anaerobic infections, and cat-scratch disease are predominant. Bites are treated by cleaning the wound, rabies and tetanus prophylaxis, and the appropriate use of antibiotics. Other infections are transmitted through cutaneous, mucous, digestive or respiratory routes, by direct contact with the pets, excreta, or by arthropods. The most common are gastrointestinal (campylobacter, salmonella, yersinia, parasites, etc), dermatologic (dermatophytoses, scabies, cutaneous larva migraines, etc.), respiratory (psittacosis, etc.), and multisystemic (toxoplasmosis, toxocariasis, leishmaniosis). Certain people are at high risk for diverse diseases: small children (toxocariasis, helminthiasis), pregnant women (toxoplasmosis), and immunodeficient patients (cryptosporidiosis, salmonellosis, systemic pasteurellosis). These infectious diseases can be partly prevented by avoiding contact with diseased animals, and by washing the hands following exposure to pets or pet-derived excreta. Specific vaccines for humans and pets, as well as worming pets regularly, form an important part of the prevention. Veterinarians must discourage the keeping of wild or exotic animals as pets. FUTURE PROSPECTS AND PROJECTS: National health survey institutions and new communication systems can improve our knowledge about the real epidemiology of pet-transmitted zoonoses.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Infectious threats from exotic pets: dermatological implications.

Zoonoses are diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans. More than 250 distinct zoonoses have been described in the literature. It is estimated that 56% of United States households contain at least one pet, and although considerable research has been performed regarding the more common household animals including dogs, cats, small birds, and rodents, surprisingly little is known about the zoonotic hazards of owning the more exotic pets. According to the 1997 USPHS/IDSA Report on the Prevention of Opportunistic Infections in Persons Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus, the immunocompromised patient should avoid contact with feces-laden soil, litter boxes, reptiles, most pet birds, and any animal less than 6 months old . It has also been documented that because of their inquisitive nature, children are at even higher risk for infection from animals than adolescents or immunocompetent adults. In this article the authors have reviewed the available data regarding hazards associated with the hedgehog, flying squirrel, iguana, chinchilla, and cockatoo. With the growing popularity of such exotic pets, further observation and research is warranted. Physicians need to be aware of the possibility of zoonotic disease related to exotic pet ownership, and they should address this issue when obtaining a history and formulating a differential diagnosis of cutaneous lesions suggestive of such illnesses.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Xenoinfection of nonhuman primates by feline immunodeficiency virus.

New viral infections in humans usually result from viruses that have been transmitted from other species as zoonoses. For example, it is accepted widely that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the result of the propagation and adaptation of a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) from nonhuman primates to man [1]. Previously, we reported productive infection of primary human cells in vitro by feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) [2], a lentivirus that causes an immunodeficiency syndrome in cats similar to HIV in humans [3]. The present study extends these findings by demonstrating that cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fasicularis) infected with FIV exhibited clinical signs, including depletion of CD4+ cells and weight loss, that are consistent with FIV infection. The development of an antibody response to FIV gag-encoded proteins and detection of virus-specific sequences in sera, blood-derived cells, and necropsied tissue accompanied these changes. Moreover, the reactivation of FIV replication from latently infected cells was observed after stimulation in vitro with phorbol esters and in vivo with tetanus toxoid. The proposed use of lentiviruses in human gene therapy [4, 5] and of nonhuman cells and organs in xenotransplantation [6] has raised concerns about zoonoses as potential sources of new human pathogens. Therefore, the study of FIV infection of primate cells may provide insight into the principles underlying retroviral xenoinfections.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Fundamental processes in the evolutionary ecology of Lyme borreliosis.

The evolutionary ecology of many emerging infectious diseases, particularly vector-borne zoonoses, is poorly understood. Here, we aim to develop a biological, process-based framework for vector-borne zoonoses, using Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis in humans, as an example. We explore the fundamental biological processes that operate in this zoonosis and put forward hypotheses on how extrinsic cues and intrinsic dynamics shape B. burgdorferi s.l. populations. Additionally, we highlight possible epidemiological parallels between B. burgdorferi s.l. and other vector-borne zoonotic pathogens, including West Nile virus.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Seroprevalence of brucellosis, tularemia, and yersiniosis in wild boars (Sus scrofa) from north-eastern Germany.

Brucellosis and tularemia are classical zoonotic diseases transmitted from an animal reservoir to humans. Both, wildlife and domestic animals, contribute to the spreading of these zoonoses. The surveillance of the animal health status is strictly regulated for domestic animals, whereas systematic disease monitoring in wildlife does not exist. The aim of the present study was to provide data on the prevalence of anti-Brucella, anti-Francisella and anti-Yersinia antibodies in wild boars from North-Eastern Germany to assess public health risks. A total of 763 sera of wild boars from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania hunted in 1995/1996 were tested using a commercially available Brucella suis ELISA, an in-house lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-based Francisella ELISA, and commercially available Western blot kits for the detection of anti-Francisella and anti-Yersinia antibodies. The Yersinia enterocolitica O:9 LPS is able to induce serological cross-reactions indistinguishable from brucellosis due to a similar immunodominant epitope in the Brucella O-polysaccharide. The Yersinia Western blot assay was, therefore, based on five recombinant Yersinia outer proteins which have been proved to be specific for the serodiagnosis of yersiniosis. Anti-Brucella, anti-Francisella and anti-Yersinia antibodies were detected in 22.0%, 3.1%, and 62.6% of the wild boars, respectively. The high seroprevalence of tularemia and brucellosis in wild boars indicates that natural foci of these zoonoses are present in wildlife in Germany. However, the impact of transmission of zoonotic pathogens from wildlife to livestock is unknown. Only careful and systematic monitoring will help to prevent the (re)emergence of these zoonotic diseases in domestic animals and consequently human infection.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

[Human respiratory tract infection by Pasteurella multocida subsp. multocida presumably derived from the cat].

Pasteurella multocida is a Gram-negative short rod-shaped bacteria that has been recognized as a pathogen of hemorrhagic septicemia and fowl cholera in the veterinary medicine. Infections by this microorganism as seen in the foreign literature vary widely from local infections due to bites and scratches by animals to general infections such as infections of the respiratory tract, sepsis, and meningitis. In Japan, reported cases of P. multocida infections are predominantly local infections, followed by respiratory infection. Recently, death of diabetic patients due to septicemia by this pathogen has also been reported. In this study, we experienced a case of respiratory tract infection in which the pathogen P. multocida subsp. multocida was suggested to have been transmitted from a pet cat by the agreement of the serotype of the bacterial isolates between the patient and the cat. This case was evaluated from the zoonotic viewpoint. The patient was a 68-year-old male who had been followed up since 1982 with a diagnosis of bronchiectasis. After his referral to our hospital, P. multocida subsp. multocida was isolated from his bloody sputum and, then, from the cat kept by the patient. The tow isolates were identical in terms of the biochemical properties, drug susceptibility profile, and serotype (-:1), and the derivation of P. multocida subsp. multocida infection from cat was established for the first time in this report. The incidence of P. multocida infections is increasing in Japan, and particular attention is considered to be needed about these conditions as zoonoses as indicated in "Preventive Measures against Zoonoses Derived from Pet Animals (Dog, Cat)", an official communication from the Ministry of Health and Welfare to related institutions in 1989. Also, to check whether the patient keeps any pet at the clinical inquiry is a practice of bacteriological importance in all fields of medicine.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Agricultural disorders of the lung.

Agricultural workers are at risk for developing many respiratory tract disorders. Crop production disorders include chronic bronchitis, asthma, organic dust toxicity syndrome, chemical poisoning, farmer lung, and silo-filler disease. Livestock production disorders include toxic manure poisoning (dung lung) and several zoonoses. Radiographic manifestations can be classified into three patterns: (a) normal findings, characteristic of chronic bronchitis, asthma, or organic dust toxicity syndrome; (b) acute diffuse interstitial or alveolar pattern, characteristic of farmer lung, silo-filler disease, dung lung, and chemical poisoning; and (c) chronic interstitial pattern in the upper lobes (farmer lung) or lower lobes (silo-filler disease, paraquat poisoning). Differential diagnosis is aided by knowledge that most of these disorders have a seasonal presentation. Zoonoses generally exhibit focal areas of consolidation in the lung: The type of splenic calcification, presence of mediastinal or hilar adenopathy, and development of bronchiectasis are additional findings useful in differentiating these rare infections.

Agricultural Workers' Diseases↗
PubMed2004

Gastrointestinal disorders: are health care professionals missing zoonotic causes?

Acute gastrointestinal disorders (AGIDs) of presumed infectious origin are common illnesses and among the most frequent infective diseases referred to hospital. Much is known about the diagnosis and aetiology of AGIDs, but relatively little work appears to have been done regarding the assessment of relevant general practitioner (GP) history-taking and the potential for under-recognition of sources such as zoonoses. Established sources of zoonosis (for example exotic pet-keeping, farmyards and zoological parks) seem either rarely considered or annotated. Surveillance of food-borne illness and its aetiology attracts rapidly increasing attention in the public health community and these infections have been targeted for serious reduction. Zoonoses may present as food-borne illness. The aim of this study was to assess the potential for under-ascertainment and under-reporting of important sources of gastrointestinal infection. The study examined history-taking habits among GPs with reference to their general scope for either detecting or missing diverse sources of acute gastrointestinal infections. From a medical practice perspective, more specific identification of pathogenic factors may potentially promote wider preventive measures by alerting the public to unconsidered or recurrent problems. The study was conducted at a busy British health centre that currently accommodates eight GPs and several training personnel. The health centre has approximately 12,000-13,000 patients. The patient presentation records and GP notes were accessed via the health centre's computer database. Data on acute gastrointestinal disorders were obtained using the Read codes for both 'diarrhoea of presumed infectious origin' (DPI) and 'gastroenteritis of presumed infectious origin' (GPI). The first 35 cases were selected from the DPI list (10% of 'names'), and the first 24 cases were selected from the GPI list (10% of 'names'). Symptoms were unspecified in 11 out of the 24 GPI presentations compared to four unspecified out of 35 DPI presentations. Potentially significant history was unspecified in 22 out of the 24 GPI presentations compared to 27 unspecified out of 35 DPI presentations. Among potential sources of infection are: pet shops; exotic and domestic pets; farm animals/environments; and zoos and other wildlife centres. These established sources of potential infection are, however, only infrequently enquired into by GPs; thus their pathological significance may be easily overlooked. By using a standard setting 'pathogen source questionnaire' GPs might alert themselves to domestic or wider media of infection as well as enable more precise cues regarding when to sample and when to refer to hospital.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1995

Food-borne parasitoses in Malaysia epidemiological assessment and research needs.

Food-borne parasitic zoonoses have emerged as a major public health problem in many countries and are posing a medical challenge. They are not only important from the economic point of view but also because of their severe sequelae. In Malaysia, these parasitoses are a tip of an iceberg problem. The article documents all the food-borne parasitic zoonoses reported in Malaysia. An epidemiological assessment of the diseases with research needs is highlighted.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Brucellosis epidemiological and clinical aspects (Is brucellosis a major public health problem in Bosnia and Herzegovina?).

Brucellosis is primarily an animal disease, and in them it passes as an asymptomatic chronic infection. In humans, brucellosis can be acute, sub-acute and/or chronic disease, but its geographical distribution follows the pattern found in animals. After the last war, the first Brucella cases in Bosnia and Herzegovina were reported in 2000, in returnees, owners of donated livestock. The objective of this paper was to address an increased public health problem regarding brucellosis in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to initiate better cooperation among epidemiologists, veterinarians, microbiologists and infectologists and responsible authorities toward elimination and eradication of this severe disease. Retrospective analysis of Brucella case histories and treatment protocols of all the cases hospitalized in Clinic for Infectious Diseases, University of Sarajevo Clinics Center (CCUS) was conducted. All the patients hospitalized between 1 January 2000 and 1 July 2005 were included. The diagnoses were confirmed by laboratory tests, chemo culture or serologically. The Rose Bengal agglutination and ELISA tests were used as laboratory confirmation methods. The number of hospitalized cases over the last 5 years was compared with total number of reported cases in the first 6 months of 2005. The results of this study showed that Brucella infections in humans, compared to other zoonoses, was represented with 11.8%. Brucellosis was the second zoonose in a ranking of zoonotic diseases cases with steady increase in the number of reported cases each year. The number of cases treated in the first 6 months of 2005 already exceeded half of the total number of cases treated in the last 5 years. Human brucellosis is an increasing public health problem in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it reflects spreading of the same disease in animals. The applied prevention measures have been insufficient, so it is necessary to mobilize all the available resources of human and veterinary medicine, as well as the authorities, microbiological laboratory diagnostics in order to identify foci of epidemics and to try to eliminate and eradicate this complicated disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Animals, public health and the example of cowpox.

Public attitudes towards animals are often contradictory. In developed countries where the problem of food security has been solved to a large degree, public concern is concentrated on food safety and animal welfare, along with a debate on the social status of both domestic and wild animals. Zoonoses are often the focal point of these concerns. In developing countries (which often have the greatest biodiversity), wildlife constitutes an uncontrollable source of often unknown zoonoses. The authors attempt to analyse the link between animals and public health. Special attention is given to the example of cowpox, a disease which has been recognised as a zoonosis for more than two centuries but the epidemiology of which has recently been rediscovered.

Animal Husbandry↗
PubMed1995

Pet ownership among persons with AIDS in three Florida counties.

Interviews were conducted among 408 adults with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome at three local health departments to determine the proportion who owned pets, their perceived attachment to their pets, and the proportion who were informed about zoonoses. Nearly half (187, or 46%) were living with pets, most commonly dogs (64%), followed by cats (38%), fish (15%), birds (8%), reptiles (3%), and rodents (2%). Most pet owners (81%) reported an attachment to their pet. Only 10% were informed of zoonoses, albeit some incorrectly. Health care providers should recognize the high pet ownership rate among persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus and correctly inform their patients of strategies to sustain a low zoonotic disease incidence.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed2006

Zoological medicine and public health.

Public-health issues regarding zoological collections and free-ranging wildlife have historically been linked to the risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases and accidents relating to bites or injection of venom or toxins by venomous animals. It is only recently that major consideration has been given worldwide to the role of the veterinary profession in contributing to investigating zoonotic diseases in free-ranging wildlife and integrating the concept of public health into the management activities of game preserves and wildlife parks. At the veterinary undergraduate level, courses in basic epidemiology, which should include outbreak investigation and disease surveillance, but also in population medicine, in infectious and parasitic diseases (especially new and emerging or re-emerging zoonoses), and in ecology should be part of the core curriculum. Foreign diseases, especially dealing with zoonotic diseases that are major threats because of possible agro-terrorism or spread of zoonoses, need to be taught in veterinary college curricula. Furthermore, knowledge of the principles of ecology and ecosystems should be acquired either during pre-veterinary studies or, at least, at the beginning of the veterinary curriculum. At the post-graduate level, master's degrees in preventive veterinary medicine, ecology and environmental health, or public health with an emphasis on infectious diseases should be offered to veterinarians seeking job opportunities in public health and wildlife management.

Animals↗
PubMed1970

Primate malarias: man and monkeys.

The question whether malarias of animals could be considered true zoonoses was examined. The research in this connection for the past decade or so was reviewed. That simian malarias are true zoonoses has been adequately demonstrated. In addition, there is great potential for human malarias being true anthroponoses. The author considers, therefore, that the significance of non-human reservoirs of human malaria in the control or eradication of malaria should be reconsidered.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

[New topics in infectious medicine (author's transl)].

After the eradication and control of the old classical epidemics, the situation in the sector of infectious diseases has changed. These days 3 groups of infectious diseases have gained importance than they had in the past and thus have changed the scene: I. Infectious diseases which earlier were either not known on such a scale or completely unknown Under this group fall mainly the "infectious factor diseases" caused by so-called "opportunistic" germs, mixed infections, old and new zoonoses, iatrogenic infections, "explosion epidemics" and epidemics caused by germ mutations. II. Therapy-resistant infectious diseases Here a distinction is made between infectious diseases caused by chemotherapy-resistant germs and the diseases whose increased rate of incidence is due to the fact that the arthropod vectors became resistant to insecticides. III. Infectious diseases to which the classical Henle-Koch postulates no longer apply These are chronic diseases and persistent infections, immunopathogenic consequences of infections and viral tumours. The diseases are discussed separately with respect to the cause/effect relationship with the emphasis on the following subjects: Opportunistic problem germs, infectious factor diseases with hospitalism, mixed infections, salmonellosis and new viral zoonoses, chronic diseases, "slow viruses", immunopathogenic consequences of infections and viral tumours.

Animals↗