Roundworm
Latin: Toxocara canis, Toxocara cati
People are infected with Toxocara worms by swallowing eggs found on their dog's coats or in the environment, having been passed out in the faeces. This could occur more easily than you think when you consider that 25% of dogs will carry worm eggs on their coats2; think how often you stroke your dog and touch your own face? Or imagine that your child drops a biscuit on the floor, picks it up and continues eating it; this may easily be contaminated.
Children are more likely to be affected than adults
An infection picked up by an adult will likely be destroyed before any problems can be caused but children's immune systems can not yet respond in the same way. Children also have lifestyles that increase their chances of becoming infected as often they will put their hands in their mouths after stroking their pets and play on ground which may be contaminated.
Signs of toxocara (roundworm) infection in people vary widely but may include:
- blindness
- liver disease
- lung disease
- high temperature
- asthma
- seizures
It was thought that only dog worms could cause disease in humans, however there is now new evidence to suggest that the cat roundworm Toxocara cati can also pose a similar health risks to humans9.
(2) Wolfe A, Wright IP. Human toxocariasis and direct contact with dogs. The Veterinary Record 2003; 152: 419- 427
(9) M. Fisher. Toxocara cati: an underestimated zoonotic agent. Trends in Parasitology, Vol 19 No.4, April 2003.
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