Good news: Your Cat Probably Won't Give You Giardia

A study published October 9 in PLOS One found that cats pose a low risk of transmitting human-infective Giardia, based on analysis of fecal samples from 157,616 cats in the United States and Canada.

Although about 6% of cats tested positive for Giardia duodenalis, only 1.2% carried genetic variants A or B that can infect humans. Prevalence varied by age, reproductive status, season and region, with U.S. cats in the Midwest most likely to test positive.

 

The findings support emphasizing routine hygiene, including handwashing, to reduce potential transmission. Read more in CIDRAP here.