What simple measures can we take to reduce the risk of zoonotic disease transmission?
A lot of it is common sense. You need to avoid inappropriate contact when you’re out walking around. In the summer or warm months when there are mosquitoes, you need to worry about West Nile virus or other mosquito-transmitted diseases. You need to use repellants and be careful at dusk. When you’re outside in potential tick-infested areas, wear tight clothing and make frequent checks to make sure ticks aren’t on you. And your pets should be treated for fleas and ticks. By taking them off of our pets we actually eliminate that transmission potentially to us. Vaccinate your pets. We no longer have canine rabies in the United States because of good vaccine. We have rabies in bats, foxes and raccoons but we don’t have them in dogs anymore. But vaccinations for things like leptospirosis is another way of reducing the risk. Take your pets to the veterinarian to make sure they are free of pests and get them dewormed. Roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms are potentially transmitted from our pet
