"Do Dogs and Cats Transmit Parasite Infections?" Half Were Unaware

Zoonotic Infections Such as Dog Roundworm and Toxoplasma
Only 45% of Pet Owners Test for Parasite Infections

A survey revealed that more than half of pet owners are unaware that they can be infected by parasites from pets such as dogs and cats.

On the 9th, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) announced the results of a survey conducted last October by the research firm Embrain Consulting. According to the results, among 604 respondents who said they own pets, more than half (51.5%) did not know that humans can be infected by parasites from pets, such as dog roundworms and Toxoplasma.

Dog roundworms primarily infect humans when they consume raw animal liver, but can also enter the human body through soil and other means. Infection with dog roundworms usually causes mild flu-like symptoms and recovery, but if the larvae spread throughout the body, it can lead to serious conditions such as liver disease, cerebral infarction, and spinal paralysis.

The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. It shows a pet expo. Photo by Heo Young-han

Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which uses cats as its definitive host. Infection can occur if one touches their mouth without washing hands after changing a cat’s litter box or eats undercooked pork, lamb, or venison.

Most respondents (82.0%) reported keeping their pets indoors to reduce the risk of parasite infection. However, only 61.4% regularly administered antiparasitic medication to their pets. Specific preventive actions against pet parasite infections included ▲ bathing and hygiene management (62.6%) ▲ regular deworming medication (49.3%) ▲ preventive medication (38.9%).

While 85.8% of respondents believed that preventing parasite infections in pets is important for human health, less than half (45.7%) had their pets tested for parasite infections. Among the types of pets owned, dogs were the most common (67.4%), followed by cats (32.8%).

Regarding these results, a KDCA official stated, "Since pets are generally kept indoors in Korea, direct infections from dogs and cats are not common. However, awareness of the zoonotic infection risk from pets is lacking, so we plan to promote this information."