First US Case: Woman Contracts C. diff from Pet Cat, Raising Concerns of Animal-to-Human Transmission
A healthy woman in Texas contracted a bacterial infection called C. diff from her pet cat, marking the first documented case of animal-to-human transmission in the US. The woman experienced violent diarrhea for two months before doctors discovered the link between her symptoms and her recently adopted stray cat. Swabs revealed that both the woman and the cat were infected with the same strains of C. diff, although the cat showed no symptoms. This case serves as a reminder of the potential risks posed by household pets and highlights the importance of proper hygiene and awareness of zoonotic diseases.