Infectious zoonoses transmitted from dog and cat.

The main bacterial and viral zoonoses that are diagnosed in cats and dogs a re presented according to modalities of their transmission to man. Some zoo noses almost exclusively follow bites or scratches : it is the case of rabi es, cat scratch disease, pasteurellosis and some related infections. Other zoonoses follow direct or indirect contact transmission. Cats and dogs that are exposed to human tuberculosis become a secondary source of reinfection for men. Leptospirosis, a frequent disease in dogs, is seldom transmitted to man by these animals. Man is also exposed to some infections of the dige stive tract, such as salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis and pseudotuberculos is. The role of dogs and cats in human helicobacteriosis epidemiology is mo re and more probable. Cats can also transmit to man diseases contracted by hunting small wild rodents, as cowpox in Europe or tularemia or plague in N orth America. Cats are sometimes mentioned as sources of Q fever for man an d dogs can transmit brucellosis. Finally, dogs are involved in some disease s that are transmitted to man by the bite of a tick, as Lyme disease or bou tonneuse fever. Independent of statutory measures for rabies, prevention of these zoonoses remains an individual endeavor. It involves informing dog o r cat owners, fast intervention in case of bite or scratch and respect for elementary hygiene rules. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Else vier SAS.