Petting zoo blues - Lifelines - bacterial infections - Brief Article

Vibrant Life, March-April, 2002

Children always have a great time when visiting a petting zoo or animal farm. But recently 56 people contracted bacterial infections following visits to an animal farm, with 19 requiring hospitalization. Parents should follow some simple guidelines to decrease the risk of their children getting sick because of contact with the animals on display:

* Regular hand washing--Children should thoroughly wash their hands, using warm running water, soap, and disposable paper towels, after petting animals. Children under age 5 should wash their hands with adult supervision

* Limit hand-to-mouth activities--While in the animal area, children should not be allowed to bring toys or pacifiers near animals. And younger children need to be carefully watched to ensure they don't put their hands into their mouth after touching an animal.

* Eat with each other, not the animals--If a picnic is part of your day at the petting zoo, make sure that the eating area is completely separated from animal access.

(Centers for Disease Control)