Transmission from mice to cats to me

[fairlight]

I remember the term

rheumatism from my grandmother.

 

[Martlet]

Ok as a reaction i couldn't hold myself back to look up the study of ME-PET relation

39% of US households owned at least one dog in 2008. 34% owned at least one cat.

Then there is this article from the UK:

Pet ownership and children's immune function

Children from pet owning families have less school absenteeism through illness, and are more likely to have normal levels of immune function then children from non-owning families. A new study helps dispel myths about pets, hygiene and children.

Recent medical research has suggested that babies born into pet owning families may derive health benefits through 'priming', via exposure, of the infant's developing immune system. Several studies attest to reductions in risks for developing asthma and other allergies in children brought up with animals in the family home.

A new study by Dr June McNicholas from the University of Warwick in the UK sought to investigate whether children of pet-owning families are more or less 'healthy' than children of non-*pet owning families by examining any discernible differences in levels of salivary immunoglobulin A (slgA) between children of pet owning and non-pet owning house*holds. Salivary immunoglobulin A was selected because of its ease of collection and because it is regarded as an indicator of immune function. 'Health' was also measured in behavioural terms through percentage attendance at school.

Subjects were 265 children aged between 5 and 11 years of age, recruited from three schools in England and Scotland. Pet ownership ranged from 23% in one English school to 39% in one Scottish school. Mean pet ownership rates amongst subjects were approx 30%. Non-pet ownership was not, as far as could be ascertained, due to existing health problem in the families.

Saliva samples were taken from all the children at mid-term for each of the three school terms. These were analysed for levels of slgA and pet owners were compared with non-pet owners on slgA levels and percentage school attendance.

It was found that pet ownership was significantly associated with better attendance rates across all primary/junior classes at school in one Warwickshire school, but was especially evident in lower school classes (ages 5-8 years). Translated into school attendance this difference was up to 18 half-days more school attendance for children aged 7-8 years.

In the other schools, pet ownership was also associated with higher levels of school attendance. Although the number of children achieving 100% attendance was similar amongst pet owners and non-owners, absenteeism through illness was significantly less amongst pet owning children, with children in the first two year levels having 18% and 13% better attendance respectively than non-pet owning children. This amounts to up to 3 weeks extra school attendance in pet owning children aged 5 to *7 years. There was some variation in attendance rates between winter, spring and summer terms, but overall pet owning children maintained higher levels of school attendance throughout the year.

Examination of salivary immunologobulin levels (slgA) suggests that levels found in pet owning children were more likely to be within normal ranges at all times of testing than were those from non-pet owning children whose levels showed significantly more variability below and above normal range of function.

It appears that the presence of pets in the home has some regulatory or stabilizing influence on the immune functioning of children.

http://www.anthrozoology.org/pet_ownership_and_childrens_immune_function

 

[fairlight]

Martlet-I think the reasons for this

has to do with children who are exposed to pets while growing up have less allergies and/or allergies to pets. I think this may be comparing apples to oranges. Just my (humble) opinion.

 

[Martlet]

has to do with children who are exposed to pets while growing up have less allergies and/or allergies to pets. I think this may be comparing apples to oranges. Just my (humble) opinion.

I think it is looking at the immune system rather than allergies. The final line says "It appears that the presence of pets in the home has some regulatory or stabilizing influence on the immune functioning of children." It is saying that the children with pets in the home are healthier.

 

[Alice Band]

I was a very healthy child and teenager. It was not until ME struck when I was 21ish that I became ill. We always had cats in our house. All my siblings were very healthy children.

The study doesn't say what happened after they were 11

 

[Martlet]

I was a very healthy child and teenager. It was not until ME struck when I was 21ish that I became ill. We always had cats in our house. All my siblings were very healthy children.

There have been numerous studies about the beneficial effect of owning pets on adult health.

I was a healthy child and teen, a few colds as a young mother when my kids were at school, plus one surgery. I had pets all my life. Then at the age of 42, on a month-long vacation and between pets, I caught the "flu" and the rest is history.

I'm not saying it's impossible to catch anything from our pets, but given the large percentage of pet owners in the West, you could pretty much blame any illness on domestic animals. As for M.E., for many people I've known with it (I used to run a support group in the UK) their pets have been a lifeline. I would hate to think that people might be misled into giving up what can be a source of immense comfort because they think their pets have made them sick.

 

[Alice Band]

CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME (CFS) IN CATS: SYMPTOMS, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

OF 7 CASES.

Published by

REVUE DE MEDECINE VETERINAIRE 2001, 152: 11.

Author: Walter Tarello DVM

C.P. 1644,

06129 PERUGIA 5
SUMMARY

A diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) was made on 7 cats, according to the current

human criteria for this condition. Persistent fatigue and related symptoms lasting more than 6 months

were associated with upper respiratory tract dysfunctions, chronic shedding hairs and, in some cases,

anaemia. Observation of micrococci-like organisms in the blood and high creatine kinase levels at

rest were hallmarks apparently supporting the physical nature of this illness. All animals had relapsed

after extensive prior treatment with current medications and were consequently submitted to a 3-4 day

course of Potassium arsenite 0.5% (Fowler's solution) in low dosage (0.1 ml/kg/day), intramuscularly.

No side effects were ever noted. Controls made between 15 and 30 days after the arsenical treatment

confirmed a complete clinical and haematological remission from the syndrome. Considerations were

made on the nature of the micrococci-like organisms seen in the blood and their possible role in the

aetiology of feline syndrome. The biological and therapeutic actions of arsenical drugs are also

reviewed.



ITALY

 

[MEG]

Blood Supply

Sorry about the cats,(interesting) but I wanted to take a moment to pick up on Kelly's concern for our blood supply.

We know that XMRV is a bloodborne pathogen. That means it is found/carried in the blood...

HIV is a bloodborne pathogen....it is found in the blood. It is transmitted through blood transfusions. (and other ways)

I wrote an email to the Red Cross trying to stir the pot, asking them what they would be doing to protect our nation's blood supply in light of the new XMRV research.

In a reply, I was told that the XMRV data was interesting, and that the Red Cross would be following suggestions from the CDC!!!!!

Chuckle for the day!!!!!

 

[hvs]

Ok as a reaction i couldn't hold myself back to look up the study of ME-PET relation again. so here it is:

http://www.co-cure.org/infor14.htm

127 patients
97% had animal contact
83.5% reported that their animals had atypical diseases with symptoms which mimicked ME/CFS in humans
94.3% of the patients either were the primary caregiver for the animals
The group of 127 patients had a total of 463 domestic animals, of which 348 animals demonstrated abnormal signs and 115 were considered healthy.

(btw. my cat was never tested for anything)

This study uses the CDC's definition and has no controls.

 

[Martlet]

This study uses the CDC's definition and has no controls.

Exactly!

As for the Pergugia study, I think it was looking at a purely feline disease.

Logically, if people were "catching" cfs from sick cats and dogs, wouldn't we expect to see more cfs in veterinary surgeons and staff? After all, we have seen outbreaks in hospital nursing staff.