Popcorns & Wheeks
Teenage Guinea Pig
Hi all, just wanted to ask if anyone knows if guinea pigs can catch worms from humans and vice versa? I have looked online and can't find any information on this.
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Can guinea pigs catch worms from humans and vice versa?
- Thread starter Popcorns & Wheeks
- Start date
Hi
Please always use good hygiene and wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling pets or between pets, before feeding them and after cleaning them and their stuff. Do not kiss your pets if one party has potentially transmittable issues. Also wash your hands thoroughly after going to the toilet or handling soiled laundry.
These simple measures should be prevent any transmission risk.
There is no information because the answer is likely no; the difference between humans and rodents is quite considerable and it is unlikely that both would make good hosts for the same worm species. Worms are very rare in indoors piggies in the first place.
@PigglePuggle You are our parasites specialist.
Contagion - Inter-species transmission and pet care during owner illness/pregnancy (incl. Covid)
Popcorns & Wheeks
Teenage Guinea Pig
I only ask as my 8 year old niece visited last week and as usual she wanted to hold my piggies. I found out earlier today she unfortunately, has worms and was a little concerned she could have caught them from my piggies or given them to my piggies. After the horror of health issues Ive had today with my piggies (another post) I couldnt help but panic! As we all know children are not the most hygienic of species (no offense to anyone lol) so just wanted some much appreciated advice. Thankyou very much.
Merab
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Hope your niece recovers quickly
PigglePuggle
Senior Guinea Pig
Hello! No please don't worry, there are no worms that humans can catch from guinea pigs- unless in very freak circumstances, an outdoor guinea pig ingested rat poop, and then got a rat parasite, that they then passed on to a very immunosuppressed human- technically possible in theory but I never heard of a case of this really happening.
Human children very frequently get pinworm, picked up in school- or as I tell my uni students during parasitology lectures, in university shared accomodation! Around 1 in 10 children and young people pick up human pinworm in this way at some point, and the main symptom is an itchy bottom. It is very easily spread especially between children because the worm eggs are so small and light they get everywhere- on towels, toilet seats, door handles if someone doesnt wash their hands... good hand hygiene and not sharing towels or clothes with an infected person is key, but obviously children with itchy bums are not too fastidious!
But no, no risk this is anything to do with piggies at all, or can infect piggies- our digestive tract is too dissimilar.
Hope this sets your mind at rest
x
Human children very frequently get pinworm, picked up in school- or as I tell my uni students during parasitology lectures, in university shared accomodation! Around 1 in 10 children and young people pick up human pinworm in this way at some point, and the main symptom is an itchy bottom. It is very easily spread especially between children because the worm eggs are so small and light they get everywhere- on towels, toilet seats, door handles if someone doesnt wash their hands... good hand hygiene and not sharing towels or clothes with an infected person is key, but obviously children with itchy bums are not too fastidious!
But no, no risk this is anything to do with piggies at all, or can infect piggies- our digestive tract is too dissimilar.
Hope this sets your mind at rest
x
Popcorns & Wheeks
Teenage Guinea Pig
Thank you so much for your appreciated input. You really have put my mind at ease! After all the health issues relating to my piggies lately, my mind has been in overdrive x