Diseases can be spread through direct contact with animals, their bites and scratches, and their carcasses, or through indirect contact with their faeces, urine, saliva, blood, aerosols, birth products, or enclosures contaminated with these materials. Animals may carry a range of microorganisms harmful to humans without showing any signs of disease (sickness).
There are several ways that zoonotic diseases can be spread:
• Faecal-oral route - Animal faeces may pass directly from soiled hands to mouth or indirectly by way of objects, surfaces, water or food contaminated with faeces. In petting zoos this spread may occur after touching animals or their enclosures, neglecting to properly wash hands with soap and running water and so faeces are passed directly from soiled hands to mouth or indirectly by way of objects, food or water soiled with faeces. An example of a disease spread this way is Salmonella infection.
• Inhalation - Humans may breathe in droplets containing harmful organisms (aerosols) originating from an infected animal. Dust or dried matter may also contain harmful organisms and be inhaled.
Visitors should not be exposed to aerosols from birthing animals or animals that have just been born. An example of a disease spread this way is Q fever infection caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii.
• Ingestion – Consuming contaminated food or water may lead to illness. For example, consumption of unpasteurised milk from an infected animal or eating animal feed. An example of a disease spread this way is salmonellosis caused by the bacterium Salmonella.
• Skin or mucous membrane contact - Infections may be spread directly through animal bites and scratches or indirectly when broken skin or mucous membranes come in contact with contaminated animals or surfaces. An example of a disease spread this way is ringworm caused by fungi.
• Urine - Some infections may be spread when urine is transferred from soiled hands or objects to the mouth, mucous membranes or cuts and scratches. An example of a disease spread this way is leptospirosis caused by the bacterium Leptospira.
There are several ways that zoonotic diseases can be spread:
• Faecal-oral route - Animal faeces may pass directly from soiled hands to mouth or indirectly by way of objects, surfaces, water or food contaminated with faeces. In petting zoos this spread may occur after touching animals or their enclosures, neglecting to properly wash hands with soap and running water and so faeces are passed directly from soiled hands to mouth or indirectly by way of objects, food or water soiled with faeces. An example of a disease spread this way is Salmonella infection.
• Inhalation - Humans may breathe in droplets containing harmful organisms (aerosols) originating from an infected animal. Dust or dried matter may also contain harmful organisms and be inhaled.
Visitors should not be exposed to aerosols from birthing animals or animals that have just been born. An example of a disease spread this way is Q fever infection caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii.
• Ingestion – Consuming contaminated food or water may lead to illness. For example, consumption of unpasteurised milk from an infected animal or eating animal feed. An example of a disease spread this way is salmonellosis caused by the bacterium Salmonella.
• Skin or mucous membrane contact - Infections may be spread directly through animal bites and scratches or indirectly when broken skin or mucous membranes come in contact with contaminated animals or surfaces. An example of a disease spread this way is ringworm caused by fungi.
• Urine - Some infections may be spread when urine is transferred from soiled hands or objects to the mouth, mucous membranes or cuts and scratches. An example of a disease spread this way is leptospirosis caused by the bacterium Leptospira.
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