Pets are part of the family for most of their owners. It should, however, be borne in mind that they can also be a source of disease, warn German experts.
In order to avoid unnecessary health risks, one should not exaggerate expressions of tenderness towards four-legged pets, especially when it comes to children and people with weaker immunity.
Animals should not be kissed, and hands should be regularly and thoroughly washed after petting.
Health risks posed by pets are first of all wounds - especially bites, then allergies and infectious diseases, known as zoonoses.
Although some countries, such as Germany, have infectious disease reporting programs, the source of the infection is not always found.
It is usually unclear whether the patient was infected by another person, animal or food, says veterinarian Hendrik Wilking, who researches zoonoses at the Robert Koch Institute responsible for disease control and prevention.
"The most dangerous infection that can be acquired from pets is the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The infection can lead to very serious complications in people whose immune systems are weakened," says Wilking.
Toxoplasmosis has flu-like symptoms in some people.
Cats are hosts of the parasite, and humans can become infected directly from cats or by eating meat infected with the parasite. Women who become infected before or at the beginning of pregnancy can transmit the infection to the baby. According to the Institute's research, every year more than 4.000 pregnant women in Germany become infected with this parasite, and more than 300 children are born with clinical symptoms of toxoplasmosis.
"Those symptoms also include neurological damage," Wilking points out, and adds: "Pregnant women must follow hygiene measures around cats."
Another study by the Institute also found that having a cat in the house increases the risk of Lyme disease, a disease transmitted by ticks.
"A cat outside picks up a tick and passes it on during petting," Wilking says, B92 reports.
Bonus video:
