With the increasing number of "pet lovers" in the city, many people are concerned about: How many parasites are there in pets? What harm can these parasites do to the human body? Cat owners must understand the parasites on cats, and cat lovers must Attention!

How can cats infect humans with parasites?

Cats are mainly infected with Toxoplasma gondii, and cats are also infected with a variety of parasites. Insect-preserving hosts, such as Fasciolopsis ginger, etc. These parasites that can be transmitted orally become food-borne parasites. Toxoplasma gondii is very harmful to the human body. Pregnant women should especially not keep cats and dogs as pets. Toxoplasma gondii can cause congenital Toxoplasma gondii in babies. disease, infant malformations, such as exposed intestines. According to research, congenital toxoplasmosis will cause symptoms or deformities in babies at birth, with a mortality rate of 12%, and 80% of survivors have mental development disorders and 50% have visual impairments. Typical symptoms of congenital toxoplasmosis are hydrocephalus, brain calcifications, retinochoroiditis, and mental and motor disorders. In addition, it may be accompanied by systemic manifestations, including fever, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, hepatosplenomegaly, anemia, myocarditis, epilepsy, etc. in the neonatal period. Confluent pneumonia is a common cause of death.

The transmission route is as follows:

Route 1: Cats can also be infected orally and can also be transmitted to humans. Cats swallow infective parasites when eating or drinking. The eggs or larvae are passed on to humans, such as cockroaches, if they eat the larvae.

Path 2: There are also parasites in cats’ mothers that can also be transmitted to humans. The larvae infect human fetuses through the placenta, such as roundworms and hookworms. It is also possible to transmit infections such as Toxoplasma to lactating kittens through milk.

Path 3: Cats can also infect humans through skin infections. The infective larvae directly penetrate the cat’s skin, burrow into the human body, and metamorphose to the parasitic site to infect, such as hookworm larvae.

Path 4: Cats can also transmit it to their owners through intermediate hosts. For example, mosquitoes can transmit heartworm larvae.

Path 5: There is another type of infection that can also be transmitted to humans. If a healthy cat comes into direct contact with a sick cat, parasites, such as mites, lice, fleas, etc., will be transmitted from the sick cat to humans. Path 6: Cats can be infected through indirect contact and can also be transmitted to humans, because parasites can live in the external environment for a period of time. For example, mites on sick cats can survive in the daily necessities used by them for more than ten days. If these items are not disinfected and used directly by healthy cats, parasites will be transferred to healthy cats. There are also cases where owners who have touched sick cats directly touch healthy cats without disinfecting their hands may spread parasites.

The characteristics of cat parasitic infections are divided into four major categories:

1. Infections with no seasonal characteristics. Cats can be infected with parasites all year round and may affect their health at any time.

Second, humans and cats are infected together. Many parasites on catsInsects can be transmitted to humans, and of course some may be introduced to cats by humans.

Third, sources of infection are everywhere. The owner's clothes and shoes can carry outdoor parasites and eggs; the sofa and carpet at home may also harbor parasites and eggs; mosquito bites or raw meat fed may also be infected with parasites; healthy cats and sick cats play together During the process, parasites may also be transmitted from sick cats to healthy cats;

4. Parasitic larvae in the mother can infect the fetus through the placenta, and may also be transmitted to lactating kittens through milk, etc. .

Secondly, scavengers need to understand the characteristics of some common parasites in cats and their possible impact on cat health. The characteristics and hazards of cat parasites are as follows:

Characteristics and hazards of fleas:

Characteristics: Extremely strong survival and reproduction. It may be found on carpets, sofas, beds, and parks.

Hazards: It can cause severe itching and scratching in cats, seasonal eczema, allergic dermatitis, local ulcers, hair loss, anemia, and malnutrition.

Characteristics and harm of ticks:

Characteristics: They like to hide in low vegetation such as grass and shrubs. Active in dark and humid environments.

Hazards: It can cause local skin ulcers and pain in cats; the amount of blood sucked is very large, and the weight difference between ticks before and after sucking the cat's blood can be 200 times, and it can also cause blood loss and anemia in the cat; the most serious thing is that it Toxins in saliva can cause paralysis.

Characteristics and hazards of lice:

Characteristics: Carrying a large number of viruses with you.

Hazards: It can cause itching, rash, dermatitis, dry coat, anemia and malnutrition in cats, and can also transmit viruses to the host.

Characteristics and hazards of mites:

Characteristics: Scabies mites, ear itch mites, parasitic on the body surface of humans and mammals.

Hazards: It can cause cats to be extremely itchy, suffer from severe itching ear diseases, become unpleasantly smelly, and reduce their appearance

Characteristics and harms of tapeworms:

Characteristics: It is a common intestinal parasite in cats. The tapeworm is shaped like a train and has segments. Each segment contains eggs. When mature, these segments will fall off. , excreted with feces. If you find milky white rice grains in the cat litter box or sofa, you may be infected with tapeworms. Fleas are the transmitters of tapeworms, and cats can become infected by eating tapeworm-infected fleas. Therefore, if there are tapeworms in the cat's belly, it is certain that the cat is infected with tapeworms.

Harm: Can cause vomiting, diarrhea, anemia, malnutrition in cats, and likes to rub farts on the ground share. At the same time, fleas are one of the vectors that spread tapeworms. When cats are foundWhen you are infected with tapeworms, you must not only eliminate the tapeworms, but also get rid of fleas to prevent secondary infection.