Information about Parvovirus

[ShayRN]

Any ID nurses out there? I live in a middle class neighborhood, but a couple of streets behind a plaza. There have been dead rats:barf01: found in my back yard, compliments of my 80 pound dog. Anyway, this spring when we were cleaning out the garage I found a pile of rat waste in the back corner, I am assuming this was from the winter and one had nested there somewhere. I wasn't about to pick it up, so my hubby did. About 2 weeks later he got a flu-like symptom. Two weeks after that, inflammation in the joints. After 2 blood tests, he was diagnosed with the parvovirus. Now my question is this: I have googled parvovirus and it seems that rats are carriers. Can this transmit to humans? I had my dog tested, she is negative, nobody else we have had contact with is positive. Also, the Vet told me it cannot be transmitted from canine to human. I called our local health department and they couldn't give me an answer, called CDC, got a machine and no return call. Spoke with 2 doctors at work and one said yes, the other said, no. SO, before I call the township I would very much like to have an answer!!! Thanks in advance.

[Heloisea3]

I found the following information about the parvovirus on the cdc web site. I think you will find your answer here. Hope your hubby gets better soon.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/respiratory/parvo_b19.htm

[Fuzzy]

I'm a CVT so I've seen my share of canine parvovirus. Canine parvovirus cannot be passed from dog to human. It is passed in dogs using the oral fecal route (I've never heard of the rat vector).

Canine parvovirus is a relatively new disease being mutated from the feline distemper virus (panleukopenia). The disease spread rapidly across the country in 1978-1980. There is a very effective vaccination for canine parvovirus. You might want to discuss this with your veterinarian. Symptoms of canine parvovirus include lethargy, vomitting, bloody diarrhea, sometimes a low grade fever, dehydration, death. It affects mainly puppies and adolescent dogs. Older dogs are rarely affected. Rarely, it can also cause sudden death due to its effect on the heart muscle. You can go to http://www.veterinarypartner.com to get more information on canine parvovirus.

I hope that your husband feels better. I doubt that he has canine parvovirus but I understand that people have their own form of parvo. After seeing it in puppies, I hope that I never get it as it is a miserable, sad, but preventable disease in puppies.

HTH,

Fuzzy

[buddiage]

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/respiratory/parvo_b19.htm

Can adults get fifth disease?

Yes, they can. An adult who is not immune can be infected with parvovirus B19 and either have no symptoms or develop the typical rash of fifth disease, joint pain or swelling, or both. Usually, joints on both sides of the body are affected. The joints most frequently affected are the hands, wrists, and knees. The joint pain and swelling usually resolve in a week or two, but they may last several months. About 50% of adults, however, have been previously infected with parvovirus B19, have developed immunity to the virus, and cannot get fifth disease.

This is the only human parvo that I know about. I pasted some text, included the link.

I used to breed and show dogs and was into everything related to dogs- and the answer is "no." You cannot get canine parvovirus.

http://www.kcmo.org/health.nsf/web/rats See also this link for a list of diseases from rats.

[ShayRN]

Thank you all for your replies, however I guess my question was unclear. I looked up all the information you all have given me prior to posting this and still don't know...Can it be passed from rat feces to humans?