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Dogs and Transmission of Infection to Man, “Respected Member of the Family?”

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Zoonoses: Infections Affecting Humans and Animals

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Abstract

Many reviews on dog zoonoses address long-lasting lists of zoonotic infections, either observed worldwide or very specifically only in certain regions. In this chapter, the average pet dog in the western hemisphere will be described. It is assumed that the dog is owned by an average family with limited knowledge of the potential hazards their pet might be carrying, and possibly transmitting to family members.

It is based on semiquantitative risk analysis in order to rank potential health risks transmitted from pet dogs to humans. Surprisingly, everyday risk is different from the expected general potential risk according to the traditional ranking of hazards (zoonoses) in dogs. Attention will be given to human behavior regarding pet dogs and to responsible dog ownership. Modern trends include pet importation from endemic to non-endemic areas, without sufficient knowledge among pet owners or public health institutes. In Europe, the advice provided by ESCCAP (www.esccap.org) is of great value to veterinarians and pet-owners alike and includes information about prevalence and the prevention of parasitic infection in dogs and cats in the major European languages.

Other new trends include feeding bones and raw meat to dogs, which may have serious consequences for the spread of zoonoses like Salmonella and parasitic infections not only between dogs, but also to family members.

Finally, yet importantly, is the prevention of attracting wildlife zoonoses, via dogs, to family members (e.g., Echinococcus multilocularis and Baylisascaris spp.). Public health authorities should be encouraged to pay more attention to this, not only by increased regulation, but primarily by enforcing existing rules and encouraging responsible pet ownership. Companion animal veterinarians and (local) public health authorities, including physicians, should contribute equally in zoonosis prevention programs (“One Health” approach).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Risk Assessment Sciences, Veterinary Public Health, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Paul Overgaauw & Frans van Knapen

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  1. Paul Overgaauw
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  2. Frans van Knapen
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Correspondence to Paul Overgaauw .

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  1. Dept. of Infectiology, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Oberschleißheim, Bayern, Germany

    Andreas Sing

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Overgaauw, P., van Knapen, F. (2022). Dogs and Transmission of Infection to Man, “Respected Member of the Family?”. In: Sing, A. (eds) Zoonoses: Infections Affecting Humans and Animals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85877-3_22-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85877-3_22-1

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