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Petting zoos.

Article Excerpt
Human interaction with animals has been a part of life for centuries. These encounters range from those with wild animals to the family cat, dog, or iguana. In 1987, the National Institutes for Health (NIH) held a "Technology Assessment Workshop on the Health Benefits of Pets." They identified historical evidence that demonstrated the use of animals in treatment of the mentally ill in York, England, 1792, as well as St. Elizabeth's Hospital's, Washington, D.C., use of dogs as companions for psychiatric patients (NIH, 1987). At that time, research suggested pets played a positive role in our lives, but peer reviewed literature was minimal. Since then, groups like The Delta Society have funded 20 studies between 1985-1992 on how animals affect our health and well being. The Society's mission and goals are to "improve human health through service and therapy animals and expand awareness of the positive effects animals can have on human health and development" (Delta Society, 1996). The National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) is another organization "recognizing the positive benefits of human- animal contact" (NASPHV, 2005, p. 2). They also promote minimizing negative health outcomes with responsible management of animal venues and have published a report entitled Compendium of Measures to Prevent Disease Associated with Animals in Public Settings, 2005, endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, and the American Veterinary Medical Association.

In the past, Environmental Hot Topics columns have focused on chemical and toxic exposures to children in the air, food, and water. This issue will examine a bacterial exposure from petting zoos and farm animals. Although a range of potential infections are possible, only Escherichia coli 0157:H7 (E. coli 0157:H7) will be covered. The disease process, who is at risk, and steps in prevention will be addressed. Resources will be provided to aid in education and disease prevention for nurses and families to ensure that the importance of integrating animals into a child's life may continue safely.

Self-Assessment

1. Can you name three zoonotic diseases?

2. What would you include in a patient interview to rule out exposure to zoonotic illnesses?

3. What increases children's potential to contract E. coli?

4. What are the modes of transmission of E. coli associated with petting zoo animals and how would you translate those into prevention advice?

Zoonotic Diseases

By definition, zoonoses or zoonotic diseases are diseases of animals capable of being transmitted to humans (NAS-PHV, 2005). The infected animal may pass on diseases by multiple agents like parasites, fungi, Chlamydia, viruses, or bacteria (Rosenman, 1992). Some of the more familiar illnesses caused are...