Illnesses that people can get from their pets and wild animals are known as zoonotic which are alarmingly common these days. The causative agents may be a virus, bacteria, parasites, etc. that transfer disease from animals to human. The ignorance of people to these diseases can lead to various adverse conditions and even death. Various measures are to be carried out to prevent such diseases.
Zoonotic diseases are readily transmitted through air, direct contact with animals, the saliva of animals, etc. People prone to zoonotic diseases are mainly with low immune power. However, it can affect every single people with good immune power as well. Influenza, rabies, anthrax, HIV, bird flu are some of the common examples. They cause direct harm to human health. Lots of people these days are losing their lives due to various zoonotic diseases.
Sometimes people with zoonotic infections can be very sick but some people have no symptoms and do not ever get sick. Other people may have symptoms such as diarrhea, muscle aches, and fever. People become weak and cause a delay in body functioning Animals, such as puppies and kittens, are more likely to be infected with roundworms and hookworms. People can acquire Trichinellosis by ingesting undercooked or raw meat from the bear, boar, or domestic pigs that are infected with the Trichinella parasite.
It is better to follow healthy habits than to regret later. People these days are seemed to be careless in the matter of their health issues. Lacking in the proper sanitation, cleanliness, choosing of the bad food habits are the measure reasons for the people to get infected with such disease. Vaccination of animals at a time against the diseases may save from the transmission. Consumption of raw foods has been regarded as healthy but if that particular food is infected it enter to the human body and cause the spreading of disease. Once the zoonotic infection enters the human body it has a very high chance of being transferred from one person to another. EG:-influenza are very dangerous in the sense that they get transferred through the air.
As a recent example, we can see the spreading of bird flu and the loss of many chickens and its transfer to the human body and its hazardous effect on human health. If effective steps are not carried out from the side of one that day is not far when this will turn to an epidemic resulting in a threat to human existence. Regular check-up of the pet to the veterinarian, Washing hand after touching the animals, consumption of the well-cooked meat, making food contamination-free are some measures to prevent the zoonotic infection.
To sum up, it is never late to start for a good change so, keeping the negligence in the side and following the prevention measures we can protect our life and can continue our healthy living.
Shreya Aryal is a student at IAAS Pakhlihawa
Edited by Susan Thapa
