IACUC Learning Module - Cats |
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Should any injury occur, immediately contact the facility supervisor and
apply emergency first-aid. For serious injuries, the 911 system may be activated
from anywhere in Tucson. All injuries need to be reported to the facility
supervisor, even those which may not seem serious! Any cat bite, even if the skin is not broken, should be cleaned with soap and copiously flushed with water because cat’s mouths contain many germs. This includes cat scratches also. Often cat bites are puncture wounds rather than tears. |
Next, report the injury to the UAC supervisor for the facility, who will assist you in obtaining additional medical care and who must immediately quarantine the cat. No matter how minor the bite wound, you should see a physician, who may suggest additional measures such as antibiotics and perhaps the rabies, post exposure injections.
Another potential health risk is accidental exposure to pesticides and other chemical agents (i.e. for external parasites such as ticks and fleas). Read the label and use the required safety equipment such as gloves, rubber boots, plastic aprons or jumpsuits. Department of Risk Management offers "General Lab Chemical Hygiene Training (Lab Safety)" call 621-1790 for more information. Should an exposure occur, apply emergency first aid per the instructions on the label and then contact the closest supervisor.
Safety glasses or goggles should be worn during application of any pesticide or chemical, as well as whenever these are poured from a container (because they might splash).
The primary method to protect oneself from a zoonotic agent is to practice good personal hygiene.
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Steps to Prevent Disease Transmission from Cats to Man
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At special risk are persons who may have a suppressed immune system, such as: infants, the elderly, people who have had their spleens removed, and people with long-term or debilitating conditions such as cancer, diabetes, AIDS and renal failure.
The list of possible zoonotic diseases is extensive and this module only attempts to highlight a few which are more commonly found in this geographic area.
ALLERGIC SENSITIVITIES Allergic skin and respiratory reactions are quite common in personnel working with cats and other animals. Consult your physician. Wear protective clothing to prevent direct contact with cats, waste, carcasses and other body products.
CAT SCRATCH FEVER caused by Bartanella henselae causes regional lymphadenitis usually associated with a history of a scratch or bite by a cat. Cat-scratch disease is usually self-limited; however in the presence of the HIV, causes severe disease.
RABIES .This virus is transmitted by infected saliva, usually by a bite wound, but viral laden saliva may enter preexisting wounds or abrasions. The virus travels up a nerve to the spinal cord and finally reaches the brain. After a variable incubation period, rabid animals or humans will exhibit signs related to central nervous system (CNS) disfunction, and once this occurs, death is inevitable! For this reason, persons bitten by cats should always see a physician and discuss the correct course of treatment. Most animal caretakers will choose to take a series of pre-exposure vaccinations, which will facilitate treatment should they ever be bitten by an infected cat. Cats may be infected by exposure to infected bats.
RINGWORM, caused by Microsporum canis is a highly contagious fungal disease. It occurs most often in temperate and tropical climates. People become infected by touching a contagious cat and then failing to wash their hands. When a cat is confirmed positive people should wear protective clothing such as a gown and gloves. Asymptomatic animals may also contaminate and infect susceptible people.
TOXOPLASMOSIS caused by Toxoplasma gondii. Clinical infections are relatively uncommon, but extremely hazardous. The method of exposure is through the feces, therefore wearing gloves when cleaning litter boxes is very important.
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