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CDC's Healthy Pets, Healthy People Teaching Kit

Introduction

  Teaching Kit Contents
 Introduction
 Lesson Plan 1
 Lesson Plan 2
 Lesson Plan 3
 Lesson Plan 4
 Lesson Plan 5
Doctor with Patient
Specialist

While pets provide many health benefits to people, some animals can transmit diseases to humans. These diseases are called zoonoses. People at greatest risk of acquiring pet-related zoonoses include pregnant women, children under five years old, organ transplant patients, AIDS/HIV patients, and patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed the Healthy Pets, Healthy People Teaching Kit to help health professionals provide accurate and up-to-date advice on pet ownership for patients and clients who may be at higher risk of infection by pet-related zoonoses.

Who should use this Teaching Kit?

This teaching kit is intended to help health professionals provide recommendations on pet ownership for people at greatest risk of acquiring pet-related zoonoses. Therefore, these lessons can be taught by medical schools, veterinary schools, clinics and community centers for physicians, veterinarians, nurses, physician assistants, veterinary technicians and other community health workers.

Participants in this course should serve people who are at risk of pet-related diseases and would include health professionals working in obstetrics, oncology, nephrology, infectious disease (includint AIDS/HIV), pediatrics and veterinary medicine.

What is included in the Healthy Pets, Healthy People Teaching Kit?

Five comprehensive, 20- to 60-minute lesson plans are provided to teach health professionals the following:

  • Patients and clients at greatest risk of acquiring infections from animals
  • Five zoonoses are of greatest concern
  • Safe pets and risky pets
  • CDC's pet safety recommendations
  • Resources on pet-related zoonoses

Lesson Plans

Lesson Plan 1:

Introduction to Pets, Humans and Health Includes course goals, historical perspective, definitions of terms and diseases and conditions that put people at risk of pet-related zoonoses.

Lesson Plan 2:

Pet-Related Zoonoses Clinical and epidemiologic information on six pet-related zoonoses of greatest concern to people who are at risk. Includes updates and reviews on zoonotic infections by: Campylobacter, Bartonella henselae (cause of cat scratch disease), Cryptosporidium, Escherichia coli O157, Salmonella and Toxoplasma.

Lesson Plan 3:

Choosing an Ideal Pet Advice health professionals can give to immunocompromised patients and clients on choosing an ideal pet. A list of risky pets is also provided.

Lesson Plan 4:

Resources Many resources exist on health benefits and risks of pet ownership. An overview of CDC's Healthy Pets, Healthy People Web site, along with other agencies, brochures, posters and videos that can be used in clinics and community settings.

Lesson Plan 5:

Case Studies Common questions and concerns about pet ownership for at-risk patients are addressed using case studies.

Browse by Animal
Browse by Disease
Prevention Tools
For People at Extra Risk
For Health Professionals
Go To...
Glossary
Resources
Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases Branch
 
 



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