random question

[Koda]

there have been conversations coming up about toxo and other infections that can be transmitted to pet owners who share a room with their pets. I am aware that toxo comes from digesting it (unwashed veggies, infected soil, or cat feces). but can it be transmitted from other mammals like guinea pigs or dogs? and what other infections might come from sharing a room with my pets?
my guinea pigs are house pets, the only time they go outside is the trip to the vet and they eat the same veggies I do.

 

[Swissgreys]

The only disease (as far as I am aware) that could be transmitted from guinea pigs to humans is ring worm (a skin condition).
However as long as you practice basic good hygiene when handling healthy guinea pigs I don't think there is any risk to human health.

 

[Deleted member 139433]

 

[Merab]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Engel]

To be honest anyone can get toxo, you don't have to be a pet owner. Typically the 3 ways of infection are consuming undercooked infected meat, cat faeces or mother to baby through pregnancy although, like you said, contact with infected soil or eating unwashed veg. It's believed up to 50% of cats have already been infected with it and contain antibodies; same with the owners (apparently). It can only properly reproduce in the cat family

Like a lot of diseases, making sure you practice good hygiene really helps to prevent transmission.

If the guinea pig eats infected veggies or the dog eats infected meat, then yes they can and if you don't practice good hygiene they can give it to you. But remember it has to be ingested to spread.

Here's a paper done on toxoplasmosis in guinea pig pregnancy to get a better understanding of what could happen in human pregnancy.

Establishment and validation of a guinea pig model for human congenital toxoplasmosis - Parasites & Vectors

In regards to other diseases, yes there are some that can spread from piggies to us. Have a read of some of these:
default - Stanford Children's Health
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...oQFnoECAUQBg&usg=AOvVaw2jUy50gSKswIprdsDMatYu
Diseases from rodents, pocket pets and rabbits - King County

 

[Free Ranger]

Generally speaking, if your piggies are indoor ones the risk of disease transmission might be greater from person to pig than pig to person!