View source for 33. Epidemiology and prevention of zoonotic helminth and bacterial infections

Zoonoses

* A disease that is naturally transmissible from vertebrate animals to humans and vice versa
* > 60% of all infectious disease are zoonoses
* Bacterial
** Listeria monocytogenes
** Brucella
** Leptospirosis
** Bacillus anthracis
** Tularaemia
** Q fever
** Salmonella
** Plague
** Shigella
* Helminth
** Trichinella spiralsis
** Taenia solium
** Echinococcus

Listeriosis

* Listeria monocytogenes
* Reservoir
** Animals are often asymptomatic but have the bacteria in their feces
* Transmission
** Faecal-oral
** Also found in processed meat, soft cheese
* Can cause abortion in pregnant women
* Prevention
** Pasteurizing dairy products
** Pregnant women should avoid soft cheeses and pre-packed salads
** Hand-washing

Brucellosis

* Caused by brucella spp.
* Epidemiology
** Occurs worldwide
** Most common in Mediterranean region
* Reservoir
** Cattle
** Dogs
** Sheep
** Goats
** Pigs
* Transmission
** Direct or indirect contact with animals
** Contaminated animal products
* Symptoms
** Fever
** Arthritis
** Can infect any organ
*** Heart
*** Brain
* Prevention
** Vaccination of animals
** Pasteurization

Leptospirosis

* Leptospira spp
* Epidemiology
** Most common in tropical areas
* Reservoirs
** Many wild animals (rat, mouse)
* Transmission
** Direct contact with urine of infected animals
** Indirect contact with urine
* Clinical features
** Mild disease (fever, myalgia)
** Severe disease
*** Rare
*** High mortality
*** Haemorrhages
*** Acute kidney injury
* Prevention
** Controlling rodent populations
** Avoid contaminated areas
** Improve water and food storage conditions

Anthrax

* Bacillus anthracis
* Epidemiology
** Very rare in western countries (0 – 2 cases per year)
* Reservoir:
** Grass-eating animals (sheep)
* Transmission
** By exposure to spores
** Eating contaminated meat
** Through skin
** Inhalation of spore
* Clinical features
** Skin anthrax
*** Most common (95%)
*** If spore enters through skin
*** Necrotic skin eschars
** Lung anthrax
*** Very rare
*** If spore is inhaled
*** Haemorrhagic mediastinitis
*** 75% mortality
** Gastrointestinal anthrax
* Prevention
** Vaccination of animals
** Protective equipment in workers

Tularaemia

* Francisella tularensis
* Reservoir
** Rabbits
** Hare
** Squirrels
* Transmission
** Bite of infected insects (ticks, mosquitoes, flies)
** Contact with infected animal
** Eating undercooked infected meat
* Symptoms
** Fever
** Lymphadenopathy

Q fever

* Coxiella burneti
* Reservoi
** Sheep
** Goat
** Cattle
* Transmission
** Inhalation of aerosols with the bacterium
* Symptoms
** 50% asymptomatic
** Headache
** Fever
** Chronic Q fever
*** In 1% of cases
*** Endocarditis
*** Hepatitis

[[Category:Public health 4 - Preventive medicine]]