Zoonoses
I am often asked by worried mothers the question, 'Is there
anything my children can catch from a guinea pig?.' In short
very little, certainly a lot less than they could pick up
from carnivores such dogs or cats. I then go on to recount
an anecdote from one of my trips to Great Ormond Street hospital
where I have been taking my guinea pigs a once a week basis
for the past nine years.
The scenario was one sick child confined to bed after an
operation who had three of my guinea pigs snuggled around
her. I sat one side of the bed while her mother was on the
other.
One of the doctors who was passing by, paused and took in
the scene. "I've seen it all now' he remarked, with a
grin. "Don't you ever worry about the children picking
up something from them?" enquired the mother. "She's
more likely to pick up something from you me or Mr Gurney
here than she is from those little tykes!' he reassured her.
He obviously knew his business but that is just what I would
expect from a doctor who worked in one of the worlds most
brilliant children's hospitals.
In the main, what guinea pigs get in the way of bugs and
ooh nasties, are species specific. In other words the bug
that likes them are not particularly interested in humans.
However there is one that humans can and do pick up and that
is fungal.
There are many strains of this and several of them are common
to both human and guinea pigs. Children are particularly susceptible
to picking them up and I always emphasise this whenever I
am asked for advice if a family guinea pig has some kind of
skin problem.
The good news, is that it is more of a minor irritation to
a human being than a serious health threat. They are easily
treated with creams or powders and if they have become systemic
with the Griseofulvin.
