× Didn't find what you were looking for? Ask a question
Top Posters
Since Sunday
o
5
G
4
4
K
3
m
2
c
2
r
2
p
2
s
2
s
2
b
2
c
2
New Topic  
smithjohn6555 smithjohn6555
wrote...
Posts: 9
Rep: 0 0
11 years ago
I am reading an article about amphibian decline and human disease but the one thing I do not understand is how the diseases and disorders are directly or indirectly transfered to humans. Thanks for the help, I know this is kind of random.
Read 257 times
4 Replies

Related Topics

Replies
wrote...
11 years ago
By touching frogs, or turtles and putting your hands in your mouth without washing your hands. Or maybe by licking toads that will do it to.
wrote...
11 years ago
I don't know of any diseases that can "jump" from amphibians to humans. Whoops, except perhaps Salmonella.
wrote...
11 years ago
same as you would get a disease from any other creature.

either a virus or bacteria or parasite on or in or around the amphibian is transfered to a human through some form of physical contact (contact with residue contact, through contact of secondary contact aka excrement or slime fromt he amphibian, or possibly through air contact (breathing in something that has these parasite/virus/bacteria)

and lastly by possible ingestion, contact or inhillation of a toxin/compound/poison an amphibian may produce.

truthfully it's rather rare to get a disease (aka bacteria virus or parasite) from an amphibian and far more common to recieve a poisoning. usually you would get a disease from a mammalian creature, think dog, cat, horse, opossum (ok not mammal but marsupial but same rather ecological nitch), rat, horse etc etc etc

the reason is multi fold. we are around a great deal more of them, they have fur which can hold in bacteria and viruses close to the skin (unlike amphibians which must get wet repeatedly) as well as having many biological structures and systems in common (meaning higher likely hood of infection being effective on one two the other) and lastly because of teeth and claws. amphibians rarely have claws and almost NEVER have anything resembling teeth (none that i can think of but not possitive) and so usually are not a danger to us.
wrote...
11 years ago
Uh, I'm hoping I misunderstood ad_ice45 when they said an opossum wasn't a mammal?  Possum's are mammals.  They are a marsupial and a mammal too.

Salmonella is the first thing that comes to my mind too.  Herps (reptiles & amphibians) can carry this bacteria in their digestive systems without it making them sick.  When people don't wash their hands good or items that the animal has touched and then that person puts their fingers in their mouth.   Walla!  Transfer of the bacteria to the human occurs.  Salmonella does make people sick with severe digestive distress.  Folks with weaker immune systems are most at risk.  (children, older folks and impaired immune system people like those with AIDS or lupus)  Salmonella is one of the easiest diseases to prevent as far as handling herps is concerned.  Now not all herps carry Salmonella but humans should take care and wash hands good after handling them anyway and disinfect surfaces the animal has touched or surfaces the water the animal has been in has touched.
New Topic      
Explore
Post your homework questions and get free online help from our incredible volunteers
  687 People Browsing
Related Images
  
 914
  
 5225
  
 256
Your Opinion
Which of the following is the best resource to supplement your studies:
Votes: 300