Pets or 'pests'?

For most of us who have pet cats and dogs, anything said against them seems almost blasphemous. However, there is some bad news for all pet lovers. Recent research done at the Medical Research Foundation suggests that cats and puppies raised as pets in households may be transmitters of a parasite that causes an infection of the eye called uveitis. The parasite called Toxoplasma gondii could be transmitted to humans through contaminated food if hygiene is not maintained. This parasite causes a disease called uveitis in humans, which is an inflammatory infection of the eye. It causes swelling of the uvea, the layer present just above the retina, leading to progressive loss of vision if left untreated. The research found that out of the 900 odd cases of uveitis reported at the Shankar Nethralaya, 200 were caused by the toxoplasma parasite. This parasite present in the excreta of pets may contaminate food which is then consumed by humans. Dr. Biswas, head of the uveitis division of the Nethralaya conducted the study with a team of prominent ophthalmologists specialising in uveitis. He said that the condition is manifested by symptoms like seeing black spots and difficulty in looking at bright lights. If not properly diagnosed and treated, it could lead to blindness. In the light of facts like these, it would be advisable to maintain hygiene when dealing with pets, so that you enjoy "pet comfort" and not "pest discomfort".

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