Human Routes of Infection
Both Toxocara species (roundworms) and Echinococcus species (tapeworms) can be a risk to human health. Any disease that can pass from animals to people is called a ZOONOSIS.
So how do people get infected?
People are infected by accidentally consuming worm eggs; these can be found in a variety of locations such as on your dog's coat, in your house or garden or in the ground or sandpits at children's play areas. Human infection can occur easily therefore from:
- grooming or stroking your dog
- allowing your dog or cat to lick your face and hands (they also lick their bottoms so could pass on worm eggs this way)
- environmental contamination e.g. contact with soil through gardening, sports, play and recreation activities1
Remember that infected adult dogs and cats may not show symptoms. However, this infection could still be present creating a risk to you, your family, and even other people as your dog or cat could be dropping eggs into the outside environment. Studies6 have shown that puppies are more commonly infected than adult dogs, often carrying more worms. This means an unwormed puppy can be a risk to the people they live with, particularly children.
Paws for thought
80% of children kiss their pet, and 21% of children let their pets lick their fingers after sharing food7
(1) Kirchheimer R, Jacobs DE. Toxocara species egg contamination of soil from children's play areas in southern England, The Veterinary Record 163:394-395 (2008)
(6) Roddie G, Stafford P, Holland C, Wolfe A. Contamination of dog hair with eggs of Toxocara canis Veterinary Parasitology Volume 152, Issues 1-2, 25 March 2008, Pages 85-93
(7) Effect of pet ownership on immune functioning in children and nature of the relationship between children and pets. June McNicholas, Department of Psychology University of Warwick, 2002.
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