Table 1.
Potential enteric zoonotic agents of cats
| Agent | Principal clinical syndromes | |
|---|---|---|
| Ancylostoma species (hookworms)* | Cats Humans |
Blood loss anemia, diarrhea, failure to thrive Cutaneous larva migrans, eosinophilic pain syndrome |
| Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli (bacteria) † | Cats Humans |
Subclinical infection or diarrhea and vomiting Diarrhea and vomiting |
| Cryptosporidium felis (coccidian) ‡ | Cats Humans |
Subclinical infection or diarrhea Immunocompetent: self-limiting diarrhea and vomiting Immunocompromised: severe protracted diarrhea |
| Escherichia coli (bacterium; some strains) | Cats Humans |
Subclinical infection or diarrhea and vomiting Diarrhea and vomiting |
| Echinococcus multilocularis (cestode) | Cats Humans |
Subclinical infection Polysystemic disease |
| Giardia species (flagellate) § | Cats Humans |
Subclinical infection or diarrhea and vomiting Diarrhea and vomiting |
| Helicobacter species (bacteria) ¶ | Cats Humans |
Vomiting Reflux disease and vomiting |
| Salmonella species (bacteria; some strains) | Cats Humans | Subclinical infection or signs of bacteremia; diarrhea and vomiting Diarrhea and vomiting |
| Strongyloides stercoralis (hookworm) | Cats Humans |
Blood loss anemia, failure to thrive Cutaneous larva migrans |
| Toxocara cati (roundworm)* | Cats Humans |
Vomiting, failure to thrive Ocular and visceral larva migrans |
| Toxoplasma gondii (coccidian) # | Cats Humans |
Subclinical infection; rarely diarrhea, polysystemic disease Congenital infection Immunocompromised: central nervous system and ocular disease |
| Uncinaria stenocephala (hookworm)* | Cats Humans |
Blood loss anemia, diarrhea, failure to thrive Cutaneous larva migrans |
| Yersinia enterocolitica (bacterium) | Cats Humans | Subclinical infection Diarrhea and vomiting, mesenteric lymphadenopathy |
Ancylostoma braziliense is the most likely to cause cutaneous larva migrans in the USA. Infective larvae develop after passage of the eggs into the environment; hence, direct transmission through contact with cats is less likely than exposure through environmental contamination
Most cats are infected by Campylobacter upsaliensis; this host-adapted species is rarely found in humans
Most cats are infected by C felis, and this host-adapted species is rarely found in humans
Host-adapted and zoonotic assemblages exist. Cats can harbor zoonotic assemblages, but whether levels of infection result in reinfection of humans is not established
Most Helicobacter species found in cats are host-adapted species. When Helicobacter pylori is detected in a cat it is likely from reverse zoonotic transmission
Sporulation of oocysts occurs after passage into the environment; hence, direct transmission by contact with cats is less likely than exposure through environmental contamination