This Animal Disease Can Spread To Humans

Raising livestock can provide promising financial benefits. However, it should not be done haphazardly. If not treated properly, livestock can be affected by disease and transmit to humans. There are various types of livestock that are widely raised in Indonesia. Some that are quite popular include cows, goats, buffalo, chickens, ducks, birds, fish and pigs. Farm animals may indeed promise benefits, but can also be a source of disease if not treated properly.

Animal Disease

Poultry is one type of livestock that is maintained by many Indonesian people. Although promising benefits or can be consumed, poultry turned out to be one type of livestock that can cause disease. In addition, cows, goats, and pigs are also livestock that often transmit diseases to humans. The following are some of the common diseases transmitted from livestock to humans:

• Bird flu

Bird flu or also known as avian influenza is an infection caused by a virus that spreads between birds. One type of bird flu virus, H5N1, is a type that is very deadly for birds, humans, and other mammals. This virus is spread through direct contact with poultry, both from poultry droppings or liquid; breathe air containing viruses; viruses in the air or water stick to the eyes, nose, or enter the human mouth; and also due to cleaning poultry meat. Transmission from consumption of poultry meat that is cooked until cooked has never happened. While the spread of this virus between humans, is rarely found. Symptoms due to bird flu infection in humans can be very diverse. Initially symptoms will appear like a common cold, but will develop into severe respiratory disorders that can be deadly.

• Brucellosis

Brucellosis usually attacks livestock, such as goats and cows. This disease is caused by Brucella bacteria. Transmission to humans can occur through livestock products that have been contaminated and then consumed by humans. Inhaling air that has been contaminated with this bacteria, or making direct contact with infected livestock, can also be infected with this disease. Brucella bacteria can come out of the body of a cow or goat through milk, urine, placental fluid, and other fluids from the animal's body. If infected, symptoms that appear include the body feeling weak, dizzy, weight loss, decreased appetite, back pain, all the joints of the body feel pain, fever, chills and night sweats. On examination usually found enlarged liver and spleen.

• Taeniasis / cysticercosis

Taeniasis is an intestinal infection. This condition is caused by adult tapeworms that enter the human body through consumption of undercooked or even raw beef or pork. Meat conditions like this still have a cystic form that contains tapeworm larvae. Cystic larvae that enter the human body will multiply in the muscles, skin, eyes, and central nervous system. Taeniasis sufferers will expel worm eggs through feces which can then contaminate the environment. Ingested worm eggs can develop in the central nervous system in the brain (neurocysticercosis) and cause epilepsy, even though the patient had no history of epilepsy. This disease is characterized by seizures, excessive headaches, dementia, meningitis, blindness, or hydrocephalus.

So that you can take full advantage of raising livestock, reduce the risk by maintaining the cleanliness and condition of your farm animals. Give vitamins and animal health checks regularly, to prevent the emergence of disease. If you or a family member experiences symptoms of disease that might be transmitted by farm animals, see a doctor immediately.