--- title: Petting Zoo Health Concerns date: 2005-05-03T09:35:09-07:00 author: Bill Marler canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/petting-zoo-health-concerns" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / [Outbreaks](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/outbreaks) / # Petting Zoo Health Concerns ![](http://www.ecoliblog.com/3.jpg)Many diseases carried from animals to humans show no signs in the animal but can be potentially fatal to humans, such as ringworm, cat scratch fever, bacterial diarrhea, and E coli. All of these diseases can be prevented by common sanitary practices, especially hand-washing. In the case of E. coli, most forms of the bacteria are not harmful. However, [E. coli 0157:H7](http://www.about-ecoli.com/) causes not only gastroenteritis, fever, abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea, but can also cause [hemolytic uremic syndrome](http://www.about-hus.com/), which destroys kidneys and can be fatal. The source of E. coli 0157:H7 is usually contaminated meat; unpasteurized milk, cheese, orange juice, or apple juice; and contaminated drinking water (or swimming pools). Petting animals can also be a possible source, especially in petting zoos where fecal matter may be present. Treatment for HUS requires hospitalization and blood transfusions. About 50% of children with HUS develop permanent kidney damage and require dialysis and kidney transplant. About 5% with HUS will die. The following measures should be taken to reduce the risk of HUS: • Wash hands with warm water and soap after handing animals, using the restroom, or changing diapers. • Do not eat undercooked hamburger meat (the center should be heated to more than 160 degrees F and will not look pink when done). • Freeze all meat that will not be eaten in 48 hours. • Do not thaw frozen meat at room temperature (on counters). • Place meat on the lowest rack in the refrigerator to prevent dripping on other food. • Do not use the same surfaces/plates for uncooked and cooked meat. • Wash food utensils thoroughly between uses. ### Other E. coli Lawsuits [Raw Farms linked to another Raw Milk Cheese E.coli Outbreak - 9 People sickened - Company refuses to recall product](https://marlerclark.com/raw-farms-linked-to-another-raw-milk-cheese-e-coli-outbreak-7-people-sickened) [10 with E. coli linked to Cheese](https://marlerclark.com/3-with-e-coli-linked-to-cheese) [Sycamore Pool in Chico California 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The team at Marler Clark is here to answer all your questions. Find out if you’re eligible for a lawsuit, what questions to ask your doctor, and more. [ Get a free consultation ](https://marlerclark.com/contact) ##### Related Resources ###### [E. coli Food Poisoning](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-food-poisoning) What is E. coli and how does it cause food poisoning? Escherichia coli (E. coli) is a highly studied, common species of bacteria that belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae, so... ###### [E. coli O157:H7](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/e-coli-o157h7) E. coli O157:H7 is a foodborne pathogen that causes food poisoning. E. coli O157:H7 is the most commonly identified and the most notorious Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) serotype in... ###### [Non-O157 STEC](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli/non-o157-stec) Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli can also cause food poisoning. 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