# Transmittance of Frog Parasites to Humans



## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

I was just wondering whether parasites such as coccidia, chytrid, and worms (i'm talking about the sp. that infect frogs) can use us as hosts. By coming in contact with the frogs and their environment can we transfer the parasites into our own organism? What is the possibility of this happening, if at all possible? Not sure if human parasites are a different species or not, but for example, dogs and cats can get coccidia, hook worms, lung worms, and many of the parasites frogs might have. Are these the same species? 

For example if a frog escaped a tank and defecated on the floor, and then for example a dog came and licked it, then licked a human owners hand, could the parasites be transferred in this way? This is a possible scenario. 

So basically what it boils down to, is whether or not frog parasites are capable of entering and living inside a human host. I've honestly never read or heard anything on the topic, so maybe a few of you can shed some light on it. 

Luke


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## Mantellaprince20 (Aug 25, 2004)

Luke, I am no expert, but i don't believe anuran parasites can infect humans. Chytrid is a large group of fungus, not necessarily just one species. Hook worms, and coccidia are all broad groups, not linked to one species except for the one infecting a certain animal. So, I would say no, just because we are so anatomically different than anurans. I will look it up in my bio books later though, and make sure 

take care,

ed parker


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## Guest (Sep 27, 2005)

I'd recommend washing your hands and all that good stuff after handling frogs/frog poop/ or much of anything inside a viv. Isn't the whole reason its illegal to sell small turtles in the pet trade due to salmonella (or some other disease)? But I wouldn't get paranoid over it.


-tad


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Typically parasites that infect amphibians cannot use humans to complete thier life cycle but this does not mean that they cannot infect people if ingested or otherwise exposed to people. (Chytrid is not a concern for people except we can transport it on our shoes or clothes from one location to another.) 
This is particuarly true of parasites that use the frogs as an intermediate host (such as occurs in sparganosis). 

I strongly recommend washing hands and practicing careful sanitation when working with amphibians. 

Ed


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2005)

Parasites are usually species specific, and by that I mean that they need specific species to complete their life cycles. Its unlikely, as far as I know, that any frogs routinely come into contact with humans in the wild, and therefore there probably isnt any parasite that lives part of its life in frogs, and then another part in humans. 

But hey, we never know! We could a new parasite in the hobby, that requires humans to complete its life cycle and frogs to start it. You never know, nature can be pretty tricky.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

I should have said, infect humans as a dead end host. 

Ed


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## Blort (Feb 5, 2005)

I don't remember off the top of my head, but there are some tapeworms (I think) that use frogs as an intermediate host that I think both a dog and human can get. My dog had tapeworms a while back, and I ran into something like that while researching his condition. The upside is you have to ingest the frog so probably not a big issue.


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2005)

Blort said:


> I don't remember off the top of my head, but there are some tapeworms (I think) that use frogs as an intermediate host that I think both a dog and human can get. My dog had tapeworms a while back, and I ran into something like that while researching his condition. The upside is you have to ingest the frog so probably not a big issue.


That I didnt know about. I was just speculating.
I think you are safe if you dont eat you frogs/salamanders/newts/toads, or their poop. Try not to touch them, or their poop. And wash your hands all the time.


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

Darks!de said:


> For example if a frog escaped a tank and defecated on the floor, and then for example a dog came and licked it, then licked a human owners hand, could the parasites be transferred in this way? This is a possible scenario.


So given this scenario, is it possible to be infected? Would the parasite survive inside us?

Luke


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## Guest (Sep 28, 2005)

Depends on the Parasite. :? Back to square one i guess.


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## felicitedanes (May 2, 2005)

Darks!de said:


> [quote="Darks!de":13jfb8bm]For example if a frog escaped a tank and defecated on the floor, and then for example a dog came and licked it, then licked a human owners hand, could the parasites be transferred in this way? This is a possible scenario.


So given this scenario, is it possible to be infected? Would the parasite survive inside us?

Luke[/quote:13jfb8bm]

That's what Ed was referring to when he said we'd be a dead-end host. Usually, any host that the parasite is not adapted to living in is an aberrant host if they do manage to get infected. The parasite might be able to live for a while in this type of host, and often causes greater pathology than they do in their definitive host, but they generally cannot reproduce or complete their life cycle. So, they might survive in us, but we most likely would not be able to pass them on to anyone else. Then again, they might not survive in us, since we could have defense mechanisms that they most likely would not have evolved to be able to evade. It's hard to give definitive answers, since there are so many different types of parasite with so many different life cycles and survival strategies.
Felicite


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## slaytonp (Nov 14, 2004)

I have been a microbiologist/parasitologist for more years than most of you have been alive, but until there is documented evidence that some human handling frog poop, then getting this in his mouth for whatever obscure reason, or frogs, has been infected with a parasite, which there has not been so far, I think the worry about this is merely speculative. Just what would that parasite be? We don't ingest frog poop, stick our fingers in it then lick it. We handle frogs with care, with either gloves for their own sake, not just ours, or just goose them into their traps to transport them. People may pick up and play with snakes, turtles, lizards, etc. Some of these may carry salmonella, which is a bacteria. But in all of my studies, I have never come across a frog being an alternate or direct host to any parasite that affects humans. 

One can become paranoic about anything one can speculate about. But in the long run, there are enough proven problems to worry about that we won't be getting from a frog, but from each other.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Hi Patty, 

I doubt the vast majority of dart frog keepers use gloves when working in thier enclosures. Direct consumption of fecal material may not be neccessary as contact with contaminated material such as plant leaves, soil, or water may carry larva and/or eggs and if ingested can result in infections or brought into contact with mucosal membranes result in an infection. 
As to known parasites, reptile pentastomes are known to use humans as incidental hosts and I would not be willing to bet that amphibian pentastomes cannot use humans as incidental hosts. 

As I understand it, diagnosis of infections by these parasites in a dead end host can be difficult as the worms are unable to complete thier life cycle when in the wrong host and therefore the host will not shed ova or larva. In these cases unless there is some inflammatory response to the parasite, it could live and die in the host without detection. 

But I think people are at a greater risk of bacterial infections from thier animals than parasitic infections. I know of a couple of people that got Mycobaterial marinum infections as well as some other odds and ends from cuts and scrapes. 


Ed


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