Animal
18:57, 17-Sep-2017
Puppy poop could give you serious diarrhea
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While puppies are arguably among the world's cutest creatures, that puppy dog face could give you a serious disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have been investigated an outbreak of human Campylobacter infections in the US this week, which is linked to the feces of puppies.
Most cases of Campylobacter infection are associated with eating raw or undercooked poultry meat, and common symptoms include diarrhea (often bloody), cramping and fever, according to the CDC.
Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds every time after touching a dog. /AFP Photo
Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds every time after touching a dog. /AFP Photo
Thirty-nine people from seven states have been infected, all of whom were exposed to puppies sold through Petland, a pet store chain in the US. Twelve people are store employees, the rest have either recently purchased a puppy at Petland, visited a Petland, or live in a home with a puppy sold through Petland before any illness began, the CDC said.
When sequencing the genomes of the Campylobacter from the feces of puppies sold through Petland in Florida, investigators found that the bacteria was closely related to the Campylobacter isolated from the stool of an ill person in Ohio. This makes puppy poop a likely source of this outbreak, according to the agency.
The CDC offered some advice for pet owners to protect themselves from the bacteria, including not letting pets lick their mouth, face or an open wound, picking up and throwing away dog poop with disposable gloves, and washing hands with soap for at least 20 seconds every time after touching a dog.