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3-31-2005 |
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HAND WASHING CRITICAL AT PETTING ZOOS, SAYS AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER With fairs and festivals season just around the corner and an expanding E. coli outbreak in Florida, The West Virginia Department of Agriculture is issuing an urgent warning regarding the dangers associated with petting zoos. "At last count, 18 children in Florida had contracted a dangerous form of E. coli ," said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. "The ongoing investigation there is pointing toward a petting zoo as the source of the infection. It is imperative that parents ensure that children immediately wash their hands after visiting a petting zoo. If there is no hand-washing station at the petting zoo, children should not be allowed to touch the animals." The pathogen in question, E. coli O157:H7, is a particularly dangerous strain to humans, according to Dr. Jan Charminski, Director of WVDA's Meat and Poultry Inspection Division. "Various strains of E.coli are always present in the digestive tracts of many animals, but studies have shown that as few as ten cells of this particular strain can cause infection in humans," said Dr. Charminski. "Children are especially at risk because their immune systems have not fully developed, and exposure to this strain can result in irreversible kidney damage or death." Studies have indicated that E. coli O157:H7 is found in only a small percentage of animals, and that those animals may or may not be shedding the pathogen in their manure at any particular time. There is no direct treatment for the disease in humans and no vaccine available to immunize animals against the disease. What is known is that the disease is transmitted to humans through ingestion of fecal matter, which means good biosecurity practices can minimize the chance of anyone contracting this disease, or any other animal-borne disease. "Animals will pick up fecal matter when they lay down and their immediate environment may also become contaminated. Therefore, any contact with the animal should be considered a possible contamination," said Dr. Charminski. Other tips: * Young children who suck thumbs, etc., should not be allowed to touch the animals. * Waterless hand sanitizers are good, but nothing beats warm, soapy, running water. * "Finger foods" are very popular at fairs and festivals. Hands should be washed immediately after petting the animals and again before eating anything as an extra layer of safety. * E. coli can survive for extended periods outside the body. Shoes can be a source of infection if they come into contact with manure. Wash your hands after touching potentially contaminated shoes. Consider scrubbing and rinsing the soles with warm, soapy water.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org. |
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