Recommendations to Prevent Disease Associated with Human-Animal Contact

May 3, 2005 — Harry Snelson and Marcos Rostagno
  [ES]

The National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV) has published a compendium of recommendations to provide guidelines governing human exposure to animal diseases resulting from contact in public venues. These recommendations have been endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The compendium describes recent outbreaks of disease associated with interactions at venues such as petting zoos, state fairs, circuses, farm tours, educational exhibits, etc. The discussion addresses a number of zoonotic diseases such as E. coli O157, Salmonella and ringworm. Recommendations are provided to address issues such as transition areas between animals and humans, proper veterinary care, education of venue operators, exhibitors and visitors, and, most importantly, emphasizes hand washing as the single most effective method to limit disease transmission. The full report can be viewed at

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5404a1.htm.