By Pandora Dewan
Senior Science Reporter
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It's one of the biggest threats facing humanity: antibiotic-resistant bacteria. And now new research has shown your beloved pets could be superspreaders of it.
Infections from drug-resistant bacteria kill more than 1.2 million people around the world every year, according to the University of Oxford, and this number is projected to rise to up to 10 million by 2050 if no action is taken to curb antimicrobial resistant.
But according to research from the University of Lisbon in Portugal, humanity might not be the only ones to blame.
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"Recent research indicates that the transmission of antimicrobial resistance bacteria between humans and animals, including pets, is crucial in maintaining resistance levels, challenging the traditional belief that humans are the main carriers of antimicrobial- resistant bacteria in the community," Juliana Menezes, a PhD student at the University of Lisbon and lead author on the study, said in a statement.
"Understanding and addressing the transmission of antimicrobial resistant bacteria from pets to humans is essential for effectively combating antimicrobial resistance in both human and animal populations."
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To determine whether these resistant bacteria can transfer from pets to their owners, Menezes and colleagues collected fecal and urine samples and skin swabs from dogs, cats and their owners and tested them for these so-called "superbugs." All of the 134 humans in the study were healthy, while their pets all had some sort of skin or urinary tract infection.
While it was not possible to prove direct transmission from pet to owner, many of the humans tested harbored the same antibiotic-resistant bacteria as their infected pets.
"Our findings underline the importance of including pet-owning households in national programmes that monitor levels of antibiotic resistance," Menezes said.
"Learning more about the resistance in pets would aid in the development of informed and targeted interventions to safeguard both animal and human health."
Because of this, Menezes recommends taking your pet's infections and diseases seriously. "When your pet is unwell, consider isolating them in one room to prevent the spread of bacteria throughout the house and clean the other rooms thoroughly," she said.
Even if your pet does not seem visibly sick, bacteria can be passed from pets to humans by petting, touching, kissing and handling poop, so it is important to practice good hygiene while looking after your pets.
The findings will be presented at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Barcelona, Spain, at the end of April.
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