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Exotic pets may lead to illness
Courtesy of St. Francis Hospital
In some cases, exposing your children to the joys of exotic pet ownership may also mean exposing them to infections and injuries.
Exotic pets like rodents, reptiles and monkeys can carry disease. Parents need to be aware of the dangers — including salmonella infection and even monkey pox — of owning such nontraditional pets as rodents, reptiles, monkeys and more, says a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published in the October issue of the medical journal Pediatrics.
The report is the first comprehensive statement on the topic, saidstudy co-author Dr. Robert Frenck, a pediatrics professor at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and a member of the AAP committee on infectious diseases.
“Nontraditional pets are becoming more traditional, and nontraditional pets can expose kids to disease they otherwise might not be exposed to,” Dr. Frenck said. “If parents are thinking about having these nontraditional pets, they may want to talk to a veterinarian and/or pediatrician first to see if there is any real concern.”
Nontraditional pets are becoming increasingly popular among a pet-loving public as choices in lifestyle dictate the need for smaller or more unusual pets. The number of exotic animals in the United States has increased 75 percent since 1992, according to the report.
The AAP reports that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimated that 365,000 birds were imported legally into the U.S. in 2002; and 87,991 mammals (including 29 species of rodents), 1.3 million reptiles and 203 million fish were imported in 2005. Reptiles are now in 4.4 million homes, and 40,000 households now harbor hedgehogs.
Diseases linked to pets
Exotic animals that have been imported to the U.S. have been linked to the introduction of infectious agents otherwise not present in the U.S.
In 2003, a human monkey pox outbreak was traced back to imported African Gambian rats that had infected prairie dogs sold as pets. Small pet turtles were responsible for 103 cases of salmonella infection in the second half of last year, mostly in young children, the report states.
The AAP details a number of diseases potentially transmitted by these more unusual pets: Reptiles have a high rate of carrying different strains of salmonella, as do turtles, baby poultry, including chicks, and hamsters.
Plague is carried by wild rodents and transmitted to humans handling infected animals, including domestic cats, that have been bitten by fleas. And macaque monkeys carry the herpes B virus. Animals do not have to be in the home to pose a risk. More than 55 outbreaks of disease in humans, including infection with E. coli bacteria, involved animals in public settings from 1991 to 2005.
Those at risk
Children under 5 years old are at particular risk due to their size and behavior, and partly because their immune systems are still developing. Adults with weakened immune systems, the elderly and pregnant women are also at greater risk.
“The real problem comes with people who have weakened immune systems and are exposed to a bacteria or virus from one of these pets”, said Dr. Jonathan Field, emeritus director of the pediatric allergy and asthma clinic at New York University/Bellevue Medical Center in New York City.
Safety guidelines
The AAP recommends these safety and preventive measures:
• Educate and remind pet owners to match the size and temperament of a pet to the age and behavior of their infant or child and provide close supervision to reduce the possibility of injury
• Wash hands immediately after contact with animals, animal products, or their environment
• Supervise hand-washing for children younger than 5 years old
• Do not allow nontraditional pets to roam or fly freely in the house.
• Do not allow animals in areas where food or drink are prepared or consumed.
• Keep animals free of parasites, ticks, and fleas. Maintain current vaccines like rabies.
Always consult your physician for more information.
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