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    Alt.sex.bestiality P.I.P.s, Version 1.61                   Posted !NOW_MONTH!
    [Zoophilia and Your Health]                              Revised 11 May, 1997
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    This document was previously maintined by Remus Shepherd.
    Some of the sections below have specific credits; the rest is presumably
    anonymous.  Anyone who wishes to claim authorship for these portions should
    drop an e-mail to the new FAQ-keeper at (sea@umcc.umich.edu).

    Last revision:  Added section on Contagious Equine Metritis, corrected one
    error of fact in section on Urinary Tract Infections.  [11 May 1997 -- SEA]

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                        USE THIS INFORMATION AT YOUR OWN RISK!
    *****************************************************************************
    DISCLAIMER:  None of the contributors to this document, nor the poster of it,
    assume any responsibility for the accuracy of this information.  This should
    NOT be construed as medical or veterinary advice.  If you are aware of any
    errors herein, please point them out, by posting to ASBest and by email to
    the FAQ-keeper, (sea@umcc.umich.edu).  When in doubt, you should consult a
    doctor or veterinarian.
    *****************************************************************************

    =============================[A - INTRODUCTION]==============================

    Health concerns covered in this document include viral, bacterial, and
    parasitic infections.  Viral infections are generally not transmittable
    from animal to human or vice versa, as virii are generaly species-specific
    organisms.  Bacteria and parasites are much more likely to cross the
    species barrier.  This is not an absolute rule, however, and there are
    exceptions for each category of infectious agent.

    Herpes, genital warts, gonorrhea, and syphilis, four of the most
    common sexually transmitted diseases in the world, are all diseases
    which are limited to contraction and transmission by humans.  (The first
    two are viral infections, the last two are bacteria.)

    However, it has been theorized that if a man with a venereal disease were to
    have sex with an animal, without the use of a condom, and then another
    man were to have sex with that same animal immediately or soon after,
    that if semen or blood from the first man were absorbed into the blood
    stream of the second man, he may contract a venereal disease.  The same
    goes for women.  If an animal's genitalia were exposed to the disease by
    a carrier, it is possible that it can survive long enough to be transmitted
    from the animal's penis to someone else through vaginal or anal intercourse
    if the animal were to engage the second party directly after the first.

    =====================[B - SPECIFIC CONTAGIOUS DISEASES]=====================

    Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and HIV
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    Presently, it is not known for sure if HIV can be passed between a human
    and a non-human animal through sexual intercourse.  According to the
    American Veterinary Medical Association, FIV, allegedly the pre-cursor
    to Feline AIDS and equivalent to Human Immunodeficiency Virus, (HIV), is
    not transmittable between felines and non-feline animals.

    Canine Brucellosis
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    Canine Brucellosis, caused by the bacteria brucella canis, can be trans-
    mitted to male humans by female carriers during sex.  Female canines with
    CB show a loss of vigor, enlargement of the lymph nodes and, occasionally,
    the spleen.  Commonly, CB will only cause a human male to experience fever
    symptoms though one case has been documented where CB has caused sterility.
    Signs of severe infection in human males may include a UTI, scrotal
    dermatitis, or diminution of the testicles; testicular atrophy.  Those
    showing severe symptoms should consult a physician immediately.

    Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM)
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    Contagious Equine Metritis is caused by the bacteria Taylorella
    equigenitalis.  It can be carried from horse to man to horse; although
    normally transmitted during cover, it can be transmitted by humans through
    examination and washing of the equine's genitalia.  It goes without saying
    that this also includes sexual contacts between horse/handler, horse/groom,
    etc..

    One anecdotal case has been reported to the FAQ-maintainer, of suspected
    infection of a human male with CEM through sexual contact with a mare,
    with (suspected) subsequent retransmission to another mare after almost a
    year had elapsed.  Symptoms reported (in the human) were intermittent
    pain and inflammation of the glans/urethra, which came and went for "a
    few years".  While this is far from conclusive evidence, it may be worth
    taking precautions against the possibility of human infection with CEM.

    In mares, symptoms of CEM usually appear 2-8 days after cover.  The vaginal
    mucous membrane and cervix become reddened and irritated.  With a speculum
    examination one can often see a "lake" of pus on the bottom of the vagina.
    This pus is thin and greyish-yellow in color.  The fluids are often quite
    plentiful, which usually results in the tailhairs sticking together.
    Symptoms decrease after about a week or two.  Infected mares will generally
    show a shortened estrus-interval.

    The disease seems to self-heal if left untreated, though around 5% will
    usually remain carriers for up to 2 years (and perhaps beyond), despite
    showing no symptoms.  In mares the bacteria resides in the pockets of and
    around the clitoris, in stallions, on the tip of the penis.  Treatment is
    given both generally and locally with antibiotics, and disinfection of the
    genitals with 0.1% chlorhexadine.

    Lyme Disease
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    [ This section written by MegaDog (megadog@dogstar.win-uk.net) ]

    Lyme is a disease of humans, dogs, cows, cats, horses, deer and goats,
    caused by a Spirochete bacterium, Borrelia bergdorferi.  It was first
    recognised in the mid-1970's and has been recorded in the USA, Europe,
    Central/South America, Japan, the CIS [ex-USSR] and Africa.

    Normally, the disease is spread by bites from ticks [Deer tick, Black-legged
    tick and Lone-star tick], though fleas have also been implicated, as have
    Dog-ticks.

    Hunters who handle or come into contact with the blood or hides of infected
    deer can become infected; the Borrelia spirochete has been identified in
    semen and urine of animals, and there are indications that it may also be
    present in saliva.  Infection of the fetus via the placenta has been
    recorded in both humans and animals.

    **Sexual transmission of the disease between humans, or between humans
    **and animals, has not *as yet* been conclusively proved, or disproved!

    However Borrelia is a Spirochete bacterium, as is Treponema pallidum, the
    causative organism of syphilis.

    **You are left to draw your own conclusions as to the *possibility* that
    **Lyme may be transmitted sexually.

    Symptoms: Humans
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    These vary.  In the case of infection by tick bites, around half the cases
    show a rash [called erythema migrans] at the point of bite; this can be
    confused with other allergies, rashes, chemical or biological burns etc,
    or may go unnoticed if it is on one of the less visible parts of the body.
    When the infection is contracted in other ways, the characteristic
    bite-site signs may be absent.

    Other symptoms resemble flu, and may include: headache, sore throat, fever,
    muscle ache or tenderness, tiredness, insomnia and joint soreness.  Left
    untreated, these symptoms generally disappear; chronic Borrelosis may take
    months or years to develop, and may result in meningitis, muscle pain,
    arthritis, numbness, tingling and burning sensations in the limbs,
    testicular discomfort, facial paralysis [Bell's Palsy], fatigue, lassitude
    and depression.  The heart, eye, reproductive, respiratory system and
    gastrointestinal tract may become involved.  In this form, the disease may
    persist for many years, with periods of remission.

    Symptoms: Animals
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    The rash is rarely seen, being concealed by fur.  Symptoms include fever,
    arthritis, lameness, soreness, listlessness, loss of appetite [with
    consequent weight loss and loss of condition], and swollen joints.  The
    involvement of major organs or systems is the same as for humans.  The
    disease may impair reproduction, resulting in sterility, abortion or
    stillbirth.  In some cases the pain experienced may result in irritability
    or behavioural changes, such as a reduction in tractability of horses.
    Again, as for humans, the symptoms may be persistent, or show periods of
    remission of varying lengths.

    Diagnosis
    ~~~~~~~~~
    The diagnosis of Lyme borrelosis is problematic; as of July 1994, there is
    no definitively accurate test for the disease; Repeated tests of blood
    from the same individual may show alternating positive and negative Lyme
    status. Diagnosis is largely based on the clinical symptoms, the patient's
    history, and by eliminating other possible causes of the symptoms.

    Treatment
    ~~~~~~~~~
    Antibiotics such as amoxycillin generally provide successful treatment in
    humans; success depends on how soon after infection the treatment begins.
    Once the later stages of the disease are seen, persistent repeated courses
    of medication may be necessary, with no guarantee of success; once treatment
    is apparently complete, relapses may occur.

    **CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN/VETERINARIAN FOR ADVICE IF YOU SUSPECT YOU OR YOUR
    **ANIMALS MAY HAVE CONTRACTED LYME. DO NOT ATTEMPT SELF-MEDICATION!

    At present, there have been no reports of the evolution of antibiotic-
    resistant strains of Lyme.

    Risk Reduction
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Try to avoid yourself, or your animals, getting bitten by ticks.  If you have
    visited areas where ticks are present, you should check yourself and your
    animals.  This may take some time, but the longer an infected tick remains
    attached, the greater the chance of Lyme infection being passed.

    Check daily for ticks; favorite sites are round the eyes and ears, between
    the toes, on the back of the neck, and in the groin/armpit regions.  Ticks
    may wander around the body for some time [hours, days] before settling on
    a bite site, they may also remain hidden on clothing, in animal bedding etc.

    If you find ticks, the best way to remove them is using a pair of tick
    forceps; these can be bought for a few $ at most pet/animal stores, and are
    designed to pull the whole tick out, including the mouthparts.  Trying to
    pull a tick out using your fingers is *not* recommended; you will squeeze
    the body of the tick, which can inject infected blood from the tick back
    into the bloodstream.  Other ways of removing ticks, involving alcohol,
    cigarettes, salt water etc. are not recommended.

    Record the location of bite sites, and examine them periodically for some
    days, in order to spot any signs of the characteristic Lyme-disease rash.

    Keep the ticks for identification.  If Lyme symptoms develop, it may be
    necessary to identify the species of tick involved.  Either place them in a
    small container with some alcohol, or trap them between two layers of
    clear adhesive tape.

    Understand, and be able to recognise, the symptoms of first-stage infection
    both in humans and animals.

    If your animals show symptoms, as well as consulting a veterinarian, you
    should consult a physician.  The reverse also applies; if you show
    symptoms, inform your vet and get your animals checked.

    Avoid, as far as possible, contact with or exchange of body fluids [urine,
    blood, semen, saliva] between animals or humans that are, or may be,
    infected.  This is particularly important if you have any cuts, grazes or
    other injuries to parts of your body that may come into contact with the
    other person/animal's body fluids.

    Adopt "safer sex" practises; Remember there may also be invisible internal
    damage to mucous membranes of the mouth, anus, vagina or penis/urethra,
    all of which can provide possible paths for infection by a wide range of
    sexually transmissible diseases.

    More Information
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    If you have access to an Internet 'Gopher' you can access further
    information by searching on 'lyme', 'borrelosis' or 'borrelia'.

    Additional information can be obtained from state health departments,
    veterinarians, physicians, or the Lyme Disease Foundation, Inc. [P.O. Box
    462, Tolland, Connecticut 06084].

    There is also an electronic mail digest called 'The LymeNet Newsletter',
    where current research is discussed. To receive this automatically, you
    should send e-mail as follows:

            To:                     listserv@lehigh.edu
            Subject:                (leave this blank......)

    The first [and only] line of your e-mail should contain the text:-

            subscribe lymenet-l (your full name)

    {Do not send a signature file on your message; the listserver may barf!}

    Summary
    ~~~~~~~
    There is little if any authoritative information on whether Lyme can be
    transmitted by sex.  Conflicting opinions abound, definitive answers are
    few!  Understand the nature of the disease, and the possibilities for
    transmission, then make an informed decision for yourself, and take
    risk-reducing steps where you think necessary.

    Toxoplasma
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    [ This section compiled by Equuinox ]

    >From _Foundations of Parasitology_ (Schmidt/Roberts 1989)

    Toxoplasma is an intracellular parasite of many kinds of tissues,
    including muscle and intestinal epithelium...  Oocysts appear in the cat's
    feces from 3 to 5 days after infection by cysts.  The most common symptoms
    of acute toxoplasmosis is painful, swollen lymph glands in the cervical,
    supraclavicular, and inguinal regions.  This symptom may be associated
    with fever, headache, muscle pain, anemia, and sometimes lung
    complications.  This syndrome can be mistaken easily for the flu.  Acute
    infection can, although rarely does, cause death...  In the
    immunocompetent person T. gondii ordinarily is kept at bay by
    cell-mediated immunity...  Presently T. gondii is a serious opportunistic
    infection in AIDS.

    The most tragic form of this disease is congenital toxoplasmosis.  If a
    mother contracts acute toxoplasmosis at the time of her child's conception
    or during pregnancy, the organisms will often infect her developing fetus.
    Fortunately, most neonatal infections are asymptomatic, but a significant
    number cause death or disability to newborns...  The transmission rate to
    the fetus from a maternal infection is about 45%.  Of those infected,
    about 60% will be subclinical, 9% may die, and 30% may suffer severe
    damage such as hydrocephalus, intracerebral calcification,
    retinochoroiditis, and mental retardation.

    Feral and domestic cats will continue to be a source of infections in
    humans...  Any cat, no matter how well fed and protected, may be passing
    oocysts of Toxoplasma, although for only a few days after infection.  The
    possibilities are particularly alarming if someone in the house becomes
    pregnant.  Certainly, a woman who knows she is pregnant should never empty
    the litterbox or clean up after the cat's occasional indiscretion.  Also,
    because children's sandboxes become a haven for neighborhood cats, they
    should have tightly-fitting covers.  This will also protect children from
    larva migrans from hookworm and ascaridoid juveniles...  Pyrimethamine
    and sulfonamides given together are widely used drugs against Toxoplasma.

    =======================[C - GENERAL HEALTH CONCERNS]=======================

    Respiratory Tract Infections
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    Infectious agents can be transmitted between partners in any oral-oral
    contact.  All mouths are breeding pits for bacteria, the most common
    infections being staphylococci or enterobacteria.  The antibiotic
    properties of canine saliva and the high pH value of equine saliva
    help to limit cross-species infections with those animals.

    There is some evidence that the bacterium pasteurella multocida can be
    transmitted by dog kiss; however, cases of this are very rare and easily
    treatable.

    Urinary Tract Infections, (UTIs)
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    Urinary Tract Infections are caused by gram negative bacteria which may
    be found in the vagina of female animals.  GN bacteria are known to cause
    metritis and pyometria in female animals and can lead to cystitis,
    urethritis, or pyelonephritis in human males.  An infection with GN
    bacteria can also increase susceptibility to secondary infection by other
    organisms, such as the Candida fungi (which cause "yeast infections").

    Symptoms of a UTI include frequent urination, pain when urinating, and
    blood and/or pus in one's urine.  UTIs may be contracted when having sex
    with a female animal in or out of season though they are more likely to
    cause a UTI when in season because of the hospitability of the female
    reproductive system to bacteria during this time.  UTIs are easily cured
    with antibiotics.

    Intestinal Diseases
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    Intestinal parasites and infections may be contracted during intimate
    contact with an animal, most commonly during oral/anal or genital/anal
    contact that causes accidental ingestion of fecal matter.

    The common dog roundworm and hookworm produce eggs which are passed in the
    stool (feces).  These eggs are not infective when fresh; most people
    (usually children) contract them from contaminated soil.  The common dog
    tapeworm is also not infective in fresh stool; your dog gets it by eating
    fleas or small rodents that have eaten the tapeworm eggs.  There is,
    however, a kind of tapeworm, called Echinococcus, which you can get
    directly from a dog; it causes a serious condition known as "hydatid
    disease," especially in poor areas with many wild dogs and no sanitation.
    Single-celled (microscopic) organisms that can be transmitted from dogs to
    man include Giardia and Entamoeba, as well as the bacteria Salmonella,
    Campylobacter, and possibly E. coli.

    Animals with parasites may suffer from diarrhea, nausea, vomiting,
    listlessness, a distended abdomen, weight loss, itching around the anus,
    or they may have no signs whatsoever.  Everyone, zoos and people with small
    children especially, should have their pets' stool checked regularly at
    their local veterinariany clinic.  About one half of Americans have
    antibodies (evidence of exposure) to dog roundworms in their blood.  A
    simple test will usually show whether or not the animal has worms.  Some
    intestinal diseases require special tests. Treatment of both humans and
    animals for most of these diseases is simple and safe.

    Skin Conditions
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    Scabies, or sarcoptic mange, is a parasitic infection of an animal's skin.
    Mange is an infection of the skin by mites, microscopic insects related to
    ticks and spiders.  Scabies causes patches of hair loss and sores which are
    usually extremely itchy.  Typically they occur on the ears, elbows, chest,
    and hind legs.  Severe cases lead to the sores caused by the animal's biting
    to become infected.

    Scabies can be passed on to people and cause similar symptoms.  If you
    suspect your animal has sarcoptic mange, bring him or her to a veterinarian
    immediately, avoiding direct skin to skin contact.  There is another type
    of mange which is not transmittable, but it is difficult to tell the
    difference between the two by looking.

    Dogs and cats can develop 'hot spots' -- patches of red, flaky, hairless
    skin -- on their bodies caused by the animals biting and/or scratching
    because of the presence of fleas, lice, ticks, a skin infection, or itchy
    skin from an allergic reaction.  Although they do not present a major
    health menace, people can contract fleas and lice from animals which will
    cause itching.  This is simply treatable with over the counter debuggers.
    Ticks, however, are a common carrier of lyme disease.  You should check
    yourself, and your pet, for ticks whenever you return home from a wooded
    area.  Skin infections and allergies are not communicable.

    Ringworm, a fungal infection of hair and hair follicles, is more common
    in cats and horses than dogs.  Animals with ringworm usually have irritated
    patches of hair loss, but some may have no sores at all.  Some forms can be
    transmitted to people, causing a very itchy rash at the site of contact.
    It is usually diagnosed by microscopic exam or fungal culture.

    Many skin diseases look alike.  If you tell your companion's doctor that
    you are particularly worried about contagious diseases (same for intestinal
    problems), s/he should be happy to do a thorough check.

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                  This text is posted on the twelfth of every month.
          The FAQ and the PIPs for alt.sex.bestiality can also be found via:
               The Web at Stasya's ZooPage (http://www.stasya.av.org/)
                          E-mail at imazoo@dnx.net (Ima Zoo)
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