Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii)

Exposure to cat feces containing oocysts that contaminate soil, water, or vegetables; eating undercooked meat may be more important route, depending on culture and country

Damage to the fetal central nervous system and eyes in pregnant women

Risk of clinical toxoplasmosis is greater in immunocompromised persons

Have a nonpregnant family member clean the cat's litter box or use gloves when cleaning cat litter; litter boxes should be cleaned regularly

Keep cats indoors and prevent them from hunting; feed them commercial diets or well-cooked meat

Avoid eating inadequately processed or undercooked meat or cross-contaminating raw meat and ready-to-eat products

Wash hands thoroughly after gardening; avoid drinking untreated water

Bartonellosis (e.g., cat-scratch disease [Bartonella henselae]; other Bartonella species that occur in humans and pets include B. quintana, B. vinsonii subsp berkhoffii, and B. koehlerae)

Inoculation by cat claws contaminated by flea feces or contamination of a wound by flea feces

Fever and enlarged lymph nodes days to weeks after a cat scratch

Rare, atypical, and more chronic manifestations suspected to be associated with Bartonella infection include tonsillitis, encephalitis, cerebral arteritis, transverse myelitis, granulomatous hepatitis/splenitis, osteomyelitis, pneumonia, pleural effusion, arthritis, and thrombocytopenic purpura

Control of cat fleas on the cat and in the environment using appropriate flea-control products

Avoid interacting with pets in a way that is likely to result in being scratched (may require education of family members in appropriate interaction to minimize the risk of bites or scratches)

Tick-borne infections (e.g., anaplasmosis [Anaplasma phagocytophilum], ehrlichiosis [Ehrlichia species], Rocky Mountain spotted fever [Rickettsia rickettsii], bartonellosis [Bartonella species], borreliosis [Borrelia species; e.g., Lyme arthritis])

Via a tick feeding on an infected pet and subsequently on a human; pets act as reservoirs of infection

For some infections (e.g., rickettsiosis, borreliosis) pets can act as sentinels for human disease

Wide range of clinical illnesses of varying severity; infections may be challenging to diagnose

Use of appropriate tick control products on dogs and cats prevents them from developing these infections and prevents transport of ticks into the home environment

Family members should avoid tick habitats (e.g., high grass, brush, woodlines), use a tick repellent, perform frequent tick checks, and promptly remove ticks using an appropriate tick remover; ticks should not be removed by hand because there is a risk of exposure to infected blood within the tick

Salmonellosis (Salmonella species)

Contact with reptiles and amphibians or their environment

Diarrhea (may be bloody), vomiting, fever, and abdominal cramps are possible

Health care professionals should consider contact with reptiles, amphibians, poultry, and other animals to be a possible source of salmonellosis and should collect patient stool specimens for culture testing when appropriate

Children younger than five years, immunocompromised persons, and older adults should not touch amphibians, reptiles, or their environment

Hands should be washed thoroughly after handling reptiles, amphibians, and anything in the area where these animals live, including their food or equipment

Reptiles and amphibians and their equipment should be kept out of kitchens or anywhere food is prepared, served, or consumed

Food-preparation areas should never be used to clean reptile or amphibian habitats or anything in their habitats, and such items should be cleaned outside of the home when possible; if habitats are cleaned in the bathroom, it is important to thoroughly clean and disinfect the area after to prevent cross-contamination

Food for these pets, including frozen or live rodents, equipment, and materials (including tank water) can be contaminated with Salmonella and other microorganisms

Never kiss or snuggle with reptiles and amphibians because this increases the risk of Salmonella infection

Reptiles and amphibians are not recommended pets for children younger than five years, including in household or school settings

Salmonellosis (Salmonella species), Campylobacter species, chlamydiosis (Chlamydia species), mycobacteriosis (Mycobacterium species), influenza virus, equine encephalitis virus, West Nile virus, and others

Contact with backyard poultry or their environment

Wide range of clinical disease depending on the infectious agent (e.g., enteric, respiratory, or neurologic disease)

For Salmonella and Campylobacter, diarrhea (may be bloody), vomiting, fever, and abdominal cramps are possible

Isolating birds from wild species will reduce the potential for infection from organisms such as Chlamydia, avian influenza, and West Nile virus; appropriate hygiene, such as regular disinfection of food and water containers, systematic cleaning of the coop and pen, as well as good personal hygiene, will reduce the pathogen load; keeping the flock in ideal health through a regular program of parasite control, health monitoring, and rapid response to illness will reduce the potential for the transmission of disease to owners

Persons should wash hands thoroughly with soap and water right after touching live poultry or anything in the area where poultry live and roam; children younger than five years, immunocompromised persons, and older adults should not handle or touch chicks, ducklings, or other live poultry

Live poultry should not be kept in the house or in bathrooms, and especially not in areas where food or drink is prepared, served, or stored, such as kitchens and outdoor patios; any equipment or materials associated with raising or caring for live poultry, such as cages or feed or water containers, should not be cleaned inside the house

Persons, especially young children, should not snuggle or kiss live poultry, touch their own mouths after handling live poultry, or eat or drink around live poultry; live poultry are not recommended for children younger than five years, including in household or school settings

Leptospirosis (Leptospira species)

Contact with urine from an infected animal (dogs and wildlife, especially rodents) or contaminated water

Fever, chills, muscle aches, headaches, nausea and vomiting, cough, loss of appetite

Weil disease, a more severe form of leptospirosis that may involve the liver, kidney, heart, lungs, or brain, develops in approximately 10% of patients

Avoid contact with urine of an infected pet, use routine household disinfectants to clean areas of urine contamination, and wash hands after handling an infected pet

Infected dogs should be walked to urinate in areas that are not close to bodies of water or frequented by family members until antibiotic treatment is completed

Repeat infection with Leptospira can occur; if the source of the primary infection is known, it should be avoided

Dogs that are vaccinated against the four most common Leptospira serovars are less likely to shed organisms if infected

Contact of dogs with standing water should be minimized when possible