POZ Community Forums
Off Topic Forums => Off Topic Forum => Topic started by: bubble on October 31, 2006, 05:57:26 pm
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Hey -
I've recently inherited a pair of stray kittens that I'm fostering for a friend for the ASPCA. they are sickly and I'm nursing them back to health. i am an animal lover so this come naturally to me but I'm terrified of catching something from them. I was recently bitten (accidentally) on my hand and the place where she bit me is kinda red 3 days later... the vet says they have chlamydia, herpes and tons of other diseases that "are not transmissible to humans"..... but what about humans with HIV??? i know about toxoplasmosis so i wash my hands like 20 times a day and try to wear a mask and gloves when cleaning cage. Anyway, i know lots of people with HIV have cats but this is new to me.
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If your T cell count is good, I would think you'd be fine, just keep an eye out for swelling lymph nodes. That's how I got my diagnosis, it turned out I had cat scratch disease but "Oh, by the way, you're also HIV positive." If you do get toxo, I think it just has to run its course. Teach them not to bite. Bite them back.
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As Basquo said, if your CD4 count is in a "higher" range (like >300) you're probably not in any danger of catching anything from the kittens except maybe cat scratch disease, which is pretty nasty (I know from experience).
The kittens can be tested for toxo and that might not be a bad idea if they have other active infections. Toxoplasmosis is transmitted via exposure to cat feces but if you clean the litter box daily your chances of contracting it are very small -- toxoplasma need to multiply for several days in the feces before the concentration is high enough to infect humans. Also, cats who become infected with toxo usually throw off the infection in a few weeks and their feces is not a source of concern after that period. Continue to wear gloves while cleaning the litter box and wash your hands well after cleaning it.
Thanks for saving the kitties!
Boo
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thanks guys, i did research on toxo and was pretty scared. mainly cause the sicker kitty has dried fecal matter on his tail and other places cause she's not cleaning herself. i wanted to bathe her but i was told she could risk getting pneumonia. ugh. i could wash her down with baby wipes the said but i'm scared to do that. maybe i will put on a brave face, mask/glove and do that. now i'm going to google catch scratch. :-/
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they say the first symtoms are little red knots where you get the cat bite which is exactly what i have. now i'm panicking. will call my doctor in the morning.
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(http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l153/aycm8620/th_PAWY.jpg)
don't panic sweety but do get a hold of your doctor soon 8) 8)