First cases alert: pet cats spread TB to four people

[Bosonic]

Source: The Independent

Two people have developed tuberculosis (TB) after coming into contact with a domestic cat, in the first ever recorded cases of cat-to-human transmission, Public Health England (PHE) has said.

The cat was infected with the Mycobacterium bovis (M.bovis) bacteria, which causes bovine TB in cattle and other animals.

Nine cases of M. bovis infection in domestic cats in Berkshire and Hampshire were investigated by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) and PHE last year.

PHE said there have been no further cases of TB in cats reported in the two areas since March 2013, and said it believed the risk of transmission from cats to humans was “very low”.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/first-cases-alert-pet-cats-spread-tb-to-four-people-9220060.html

[Warpy]

1. Cats are the major vector of bubonic plague here in NM

Between that and TB and not wanting them to become coyote snacks, my cats have stayed indoors for the last 22 years.

[SheilaT]

2. Where is your source for cats being the major vector of bubonic plague in NM?1

Bubonic plague is normally spread by rats. A lack of cats will allow the rats to multiply, which means more rat fleas, which means more plague. So cats can be considered an indirect vector, but I'm pretty sure they don't carry the fleas that carry plague. Otherwise, plague would be endemic, given how many have cats.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

14. Plague actually started in China and was carried to europe. just wanted to add that.

[Warpy]

22. This is an endemic plague state

and that means a lot of small animals are infected, including game animals like rabbits and squirrels.

Bubonic plague is spread by contact with infected animals, not just with fleas that carry it.

If you live in a plague state out west, read up on it. It can save your life.

Oh, and keep the cat indoors.

[SheilaT]

23. I live in New Mexico, which generally has a couple of people die

every year from plague. My cats were kept indoors when they were still with me.

The information I just accessed says that people are usually infected by the bite of a rodent flea. Maybe if your cat has fleas the fleas may be infected, although I don't think cat fleas bite people. Not sure. My cats have at several different times gotten fleas, and I don't think I was ever bitten by the little critters, but it's possible I would never have noticed anyway.

[Android3.14]

5. Fleas spread bubonic plague

Sheesh. What year is this, 1414?
http://www.cdc.gov/plague/transmission/

[Beacool]

18. Maybe finfected fleas on a cat?

[Warpy]

21. Fleas bite cat, cat gets infected Cat plays with sick or dead animal, cat gets infected.

Owner handles sick cat, owner gets infected. It's not just fleas.

Hunters have also contracted it from handling small game like squirrels and rabbits.

It can also be transmitted by droplet.

Perhaps you should have read the article you posted. It doesn't say what you think it does.

[NV Whino]

3. For gods sake don't let Xemasab see this

[NickB79]

6. Xemasabis a veterinarian

She is probably aware of this already.

[XemaSab]

9. I'm a biologist

Kestrel is the veterinarian.

[NickB79]

17. LOL, my bad. Sorry

[redwitch]

19. I thought you were broccoli!

I'm kind of disappointed now.

[XemaSab]

20. Biology is just my day job

[dipsydoodle]

4. One of my friends Main Coons has got it.

Was diagnosed just before Christmas and she was told that DEFRA might have order it being put down - they didn't. She's in Gloucestershire and used to live on a farm. Its thought the cat picked it up there from rodents. The cat is on 6 months antibiotics and chemotherapy which are not doing her beautiful coat much good but she seems to be managing.

There's no sign of her other Mains Coons and Persians or her two Pugs getting it.

[davidpdx]

7. Well now I have a reason to get rid of the cats

*kidding*

[Lochloosa]

8. This post is more dangerous than the "Used Car Salesman" post.

[Javaman]

10. and whoa to us all the day the DU cat wars began. nt

[Lochloosa]

11. Cat Armageddon

[davidpdx]

12. If you only knew my cat

He bites.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

13. Zoonosis is a fun thing. Brought us Human form mad-cow, HIV and numerous others.

vectors are everywhere. and TB has a disease of poverty classification.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

15. and ringworms!!!! HIV has a crazy story though, beyond zoonosis

2 monkeys eaten by an chimpanzee that carried 2 strains of this virus, which then combined in the chimps stomach. Then the cut hunter hypothesis (hunter got cut while skinning ape). then hunter passed it to a fisherwoman who passed it into cities.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

16. Ahh. . .stop with the science-y stuff. people might be learnin' somethin'

we all know disease is cause by a lapse of faith. That's Christian Science talking there!