Can pets carry/transmit human parasites?
Yes. Certain pets (particularly dogs and cats) carry intermediate stages of some tapeworm parasites that infect humans as adults upon close (intimate) contact, such as kissing or licking. Pets may also be infested with arthopod ecto-parasites (mites, fleas, ticks, etc.) that may cause injury directly or by transmitting pathogens of diseases infecting them to humans. At PCI we also test for pet and other animal parasites using the same kit and procedures.
