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Infants
and small children are more susceptible to catching worms from pets as
they have immature immune systems
and often poor hygiene.
Humans can catch worms from the family dog
or cat so it is important to teach your children to wash their
hands before eating. Equally important is to regularly treat
your pets for worms.
It should be noted that catching worms from the family pet is
not common but you should be aware of the possibility.
Can Roundworm spread from
dogs to
children?
Roundworm are the most
common parasite of the digestive system in cats and dogs.
Roundworm can only spread to humans by ingesting roundworm eggs.
This can happen when a child comes in contact with contaminated
soil or sand and then transfers eggs to the mouth via
contaminated fingers or by putting contaminated objects in their
mouths.
Visceral
larva migrans, is a disease caused by roundworm that can
affect humans.
Visceral
larva migrans also known as Toxocariasis is a potentially serious disease that can affect
the eyes and other organs. The disease is caused by Toxocara canis
(dog roundworm) which
lives in the intestine of dogs and Toxcara cati (cat roundworm) which lives in
the intestine of cats. Dogs have been known to be infected with
Toxcara Cati after eating the feces of cats.
After the eggs are inadvertently eaten they hatch in the human intestine. The
larvae from these eggs are then released into the bloodstream
and find their way to all parts of the body, including the
liver, lungs, heart, brain and eyes.
Most human
patients are children between the ages of two and four years,
who become infected after playing in sandboxes or soil
contaminated by pet feces. The eggs can survive in soil for as
long as seven years.
Toxocariasis can be
prevented by keeping children from playing in soil contaminated
by animal feces and by teaching children to wash their hands
before eating. Toxocara eggs can only become infective
if they have been in the environment for approximately two weeks,
so direct contact with an infected animal generally does not
result in transmission.
Can children or adults catch Hookworm from pets?
Hookworm is an intestinal
parasite found in cats and dogs but
is more common in dogs. Hookworm are
most commonly found in tropical and subtropical areas. In
animals the hookworm attaches to the inside of the intestinal
wall by means of a hook-like mouth and feed on the blood of the
host. The eggs are excreted in the animals feces.
Hookworm is transmissible to humans via soil contaminated
by cat or dog feces. Hookworm eggs are deposited into the soil.
The larvae which hatch from the eggs can infect a human either
by ingestion or by penetrating the skin. In skin penetration
humans can develop into a characteristic itchy rash called
cutaneous larva migrans, or creeping eruption. The rash can take
the form of a snake-like tract with blisters which is caused by
the hookworm larvae traveling under the skin. In humans
when the hookworm enters via the skin it does not find it's way
to the intestines.
Children or adults can become infected through the
soles of their feet by walking barefoot in a hookworm infected
area or on the buttocks by sitting in a infected area.
Can
Ringworm spread from dogs and cats to children?
Ringworm on a human
Contrary to its name Ringworm
is not a worm at all but a fungus called Dermatophytes. Dermaphtytes means 'plants that live on the skin'.
The fungi cause circular lesions on the skin.
Ringworm is very contagious and can spread from cats, dogs and
other animals to humans and visa versa.
Threadworm (also known
as pinworm) are so called
because they look like
pieces of white cotton
thread in the child's
feces.
Threadworm are NOT
caught from dogs and
cats. The
most likely transmission
of threadworm is from
other children.
Tapeworm and Humans
Dipylidium Caninum is the most common
tapeworm in dogs and cats. It is not common for a
human to become infected with tapeworms from their
pets.
In order for a human to become
infected with Dipylidium Caninum they must
ingest an infected flea and this doesn't happen
often. Pets on the other hand often ingest fleas
whilst grooming.
Roundworm are the most
common parasite of the digestive system in cats and dogs.
Roundworm can only spread to humans by ingesting roundworm eggs.
This can happen when a child comes in contact with contaminated
soil or sand and then transfers eggs to the mouth via
contaminated fingers or by putting contaminated objects in their
mouths.
