Health Risks

Pollutants found in pet waste can transmit diseases and parasites to humans.

When rain washes pet waste into storm water drains, pollutants are carried into natural water bodies.

Common threats to health are:

	Campylobacteriosis is a bacterial disease caused by Campylobacter jejuni or Campylobacter coli. Campylobacter usually causes a mild to severe infection of the gastrointestinal system, including watery or bloody diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting. A rare complication of Campylobacter infection is Guillain-Barre syndrome, a nervous system disease that occurs approximately 2 weeks after the initial illness develops.
	Cryptosporidium, a parasite carried by dogs, cats and other mammals, may cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea or dehydration.
	Toxocariasis, roundworms transmitted from dog, may cause vision loss, rash, fever or cough.