Answer:
Animals in health-care facilities traditionally have been limited to laboratories and research areas. However, their presence in patient-care areas is now more frequent, both in acute-care and long-term care settings, prompting consideration for the potential transmission of zoonotic pathogens from animals to humans in these settings. Although dogs and cats may be commonly encountered in health-care settings, other animals (e.g., fish, birds, non-human primates, rabbits, rodents, and reptiles) also can be present as research, resident, or service animals. These animals can serve as sources of zoonotic pathogens that could potentially infect patients and health-care workers (Table 26).1327–1340 Animals potentially can serve as reservoirs for antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, which can be introduced to the health-care setting while the animal is present. VRE have been isolated from both farm animals and pets,1341 and a cat in a geriatric care center was found to be colonized with MRSA.1342
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