The indispensable
- Avoid all contact with land or sea animals (even familiar, young or dead): do not approach them, nor feed them.
- Any bite, scratch or lick on broken skin requires immediate washing with soap and water, antisepsis and a quick consultation to assess post-exposure prophylaxis (rabies, tetanus, antibiotics, antivirals).
- Avoid consuming animal products that pose a risk of poisoning (reef fish, pufferfish, raw invertebrates, unpasteurized milk, undercooked meats)
- The importation of domestic or wild animals is prohibited.
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- Scratches and bites
Injuries caused by bites, scratches or pecks are the most significant damage caused by mammals and birds, but many zoonoses can also be transmitted to humans.
The general rule is not to approach animals (even familiar, young, or dead ones), not to pet them, not to drink their milk and unpasteurized dairy products, and not to feed them (the situation where the risk of being bitten is highest).
In case of a bite, it is important to seek medical help quickly because animals can carry various bacteria or viruses in their saliva, such as rabies or simian herpesvirus.
Regarding rabies, dogs are the primary reservoir of the virus in low-resource countries, but all mammals can be infected, including bats, monkeys, and even camelids. The virus can be transmitted by an animal that is not yet showing symptoms of the disease. A vaccine against rabies is available (see link to relevant page).
In the event of a monkey bite (which accounts for 2 to 20% of animal bites worldwide), the risk of simian herpesvirus meningoencephalitis (Herpes B virus, very similar to herpes simplex virus type 1) should also be considered, particularly for those traveling in Asia where the virus is prevalent in these animals. Post-exposure treatment with valacyclovir (1 g every 8 hours, starting within 5 days of exposure and continuing for 2 weeks) is possible.
After a bite, scratch or simple lick on damaged skin or mucous membrane, it is important to wash the wound or licked area with soap and water, apply an antiseptic, and then contact local medical facilities which will take, if necessary, post-exposure prophylaxis measures (rabies vaccine and/or immunoglobulins, Valacyclovir against simian herpes virus, tetanus vaccine and/or immunoglobulins, antibiotic therapy).
Venomous and toxic animals
- Envenomation poses a significant risk to travelers regardless of the country or type of trip. Preventive measures, based in particular on information and knowledge of risk situations, can mitigate this risk.
Animals posing a risk terrestrial envenomation are:
- Snakes: the severity of envenomation depends on the person bitten (comorbidities, extreme ages), the type of snake and its age, the amount of venom received and the location of the bite, and above all the possibilities of access to quality care.
- Scorpions: While a scorpion sting is often painful, less than 10% of them result in systemic envenomation. Children are at greater risk of severe envenomation.
- Spiders: some spider species pose a health risk and the effect of their bite varies depending on the species, with signs being either only cutaneous or systemic.
- Tropical amphibians: some secrete toxins through their skin.
- Other animals potentially involved: certain birds present in Papua New Guinea (envenomation in case of contact or poisoning when ingested) or Platypuses in Australia (in case of handling of the animal).
Animals posing a risk marine envenomation are:
- Cnidarians: the cnidocysts located on their surface bear organelles (nematocysts) capable of injecting venom. surfer's dermatitis is a particular entity of these envenomations.
- Echinoderms (sea urchins, crown-of-thorns starfish): some species can cause painful envenomation and are associated with general symptoms.
- Some fish: these include rays, whose tail is equipped with a stinger capable of injecting venom, or fish of the Scorpionidae family (various scorpionfish, stonefish, etc.) or that of the Trachinidae (weeverfish) and Uranoscopidae (white scorpionfish or starfish), due to the presence of venom glands at the level of spines arranged near their dorsal, ventral and/or anal fins.
- Certain shells (Indo-Pacific region, Caribbean as far as Florida, Red Sea, etc.): shells of the genus Known possess venomous radular teeth within their proboscis.
- Sea snakes (Indo-Pacific region): they secrete several neurotoxins.
Specific risks associated with the consumption of animal products
Ciguatera is a foodborne illness caused by consuming reef fish contaminated with a neurotoxin (ciguatoxin) produced by a microalga (Gambierdiscus toxicus) that proliferates on degraded coral substrates. Ciguatoxins are ingested by herbivorous fish that consume the algae and then accumulate in their tissues.
They then accumulate in the bodies of their predators, carnivorous fish (barracuda, jack, sea bream, grouper, etc.). It is impossible to identify a toxic fish by its color, smell, or taste. Freezing, cooking, or any other method of preparing fish does not destroy ciguatoxins.
Ciguatera is possible year-round in intertropical island regions (Oceania, Polynesia, the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean), but cases are now being reported in temperate zones (Canary Islands, Madeira, etc.). Between 50,000 and 100,000 cases are reported annually worldwide, but there is significant underreporting.
Clinically, ciguatera is characterized by the polymorphism of its symptoms and a wide variability in duration, severity, and recurrence from one individual to another and from one region to another. The course classically unfolds in two phases: an acute phase lasting from a few days to a few weeks (gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neurological signs, etc.) followed in some cases by chronic disorders, primarily neurological in nature, manifesting continuously and/or in relapsing episodes.
Diagnosis is clinical and treatment is symptomatic. Ciguatera poisoning warrants special attention, particularly for at-risk individuals: the elderly, those with comorbidities (heart disease, diabetes, etc.), pregnant women (risk of premature birth, fetal harm), or breastfeeding women (risk of toxin transmission). Relapses can occur several months after exposure, especially after consuming alcoholic beverages or fish.
To prevent ciguatera poisoning, it is advisable to avoid consuming predatory fish and to ask local fishermen, fishmongers, and restaurant owners about the origin of fish you are not used to eating. It is also recommended not to eat the viscera, liver, or head of fish in at-risk areas.
Tetrodotoxin poisoning (known as "fugu") occurs after consuming pufferfish and sometimes certain shellfish. The toxin contained in the fish blocks the voltage-gated sodium channels in cell membranes. These poisonings are well-known in Japan, China, and Taiwan (which also has a recognized expertise in preparing these fish), but they are also found around the South China Sea as far as Australia, Oceania, and India, in the Mediterranean (through fish migration via the Suez Canal), on the Atlantic coast of Brazil, and in the Pacific Ocean.
Following poisoning, the onset of clinical signs is rapid in cases of severe intoxication (5-45 minutes) but can be delayed by several hours. It manifests as general symptoms (malaise, sweating, arthralgia, myalgia, etc.), neurological symptoms (paresthesia, allodynia, ataxia, pupillary abnormalities, dysgeusia, areflexia, etc., progressing to coma), digestive symptoms (nausea-vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain), cardiovascular symptoms (bradycardia or tachycardia, hypotension), or pulmonary symptoms (dyspnea, respiratory distress). Mortality can reach 10%.
Human angiostrongylosis (or nervous angiostrongylosis) is a parasitic disease caused by a nematode, Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Humans, as accidental hosts, develop a neurological pathology such as eosinophilic meningitis and/or encephalitis, which often has a favorable outcome in adults but is potentially serious, particularly in children.
Gradually described worldwide, the disease is endemic in China, Southeast Asia, Australia, and Pacific islands, where outbreaks or sporadic cases have been reported. It is also observed in Indian Ocean islands, Jamaica, and Brazil.
Sources of transmission vary according to geographical areas but are generally linked to the consumption of raw or undercooked intermediate hosts (snails, freshwater shrimp, mangrove crabs, etc.). In other cases, the main reported mode of contamination is the ingestion, through direct or indirect contact, of the slime of the giant African snail (Achatina fulica): species considered invasive and present in most intertropical regions of the globe.
Prevention relies on dietary education (avoiding the consumption of certain exotic dishes made with raw or undercooked fish or invertebrates and/or raw vegetables). Travelers should also be informed of the risk of direct contact with the giant African snail, especially for very young children who may become infected by putting it in their mouths.
Parasitic diseases can also be transmitted through the consumption of saltwater fish (mainly anisakiasis) or freshwater fish (gnathostomiasis, clonorchosis…).
Ingesting the flesh of certain birds can also be toxic (the common quail in Europe and Africa, the Gambian goose in sub-Saharan Africa, the ruffed grouse in North America and the United Kingdom, the rock dove in Australia…).
Furthermore, it is worth remembering that consuming raw milk or raw milk products exposes you to certain diseases such as listeriosis, brucellosis or Q fever.
Consuming undercooked meat also exposes you to the risks of trichinosis, toxoplasmosis…
Other risks associated with close contact with animals (excluding vector-borne diseases)
Contact with the fur of certain mammals exposes one to dermatophytosis, and to the ingestion of certain intestinal parasites of the animal deposited on the fur.
During stays in the wild in sub-Saharan Africa, there is a risk of infection by Orthopoxviruses (mpox viruses)., present in 5 to 10% of great apes) and by hemorrhagic fever viruses (Ebola, Marburg, etc.). Handling so-called "bush game" or contact with the droppings of fruit bats exposes individuals to these viruses.
A vaccine against the Zaire Ebola strain is available but is not recommended for preventive use among travelers. In the event of an Ebola outbreak, travel to the affected area is not recommended.
People traveling to North Africa (Chad, Sudan, Somalia, Maghreb, Mashreq) or the Arabian Peninsula who come into contact with camels are at risk of infection with the Camelpox virus or the MERS-CoV coronavirus. Camels can also transmit Q fever (up to 60-80% of animals in Chad, Sudan, Algeria, and the Arabian Peninsula), brucellosis (10-25% of dromedaries), and tuberculosis.
Visiting caves or cavities containing bats exposes one to the risk of histoplasmosis and rabies.
Importing animals
With the exception of animals meeting the regulatory conditions for import (species whose trade is authorized, health and vaccination status subject to an official certificate), the importation of domestic or wild animals is strictly prohibited and may result in heavy criminal and financial penalties.
To travel abroad with a pet, the traveler must inquire in advance about the formalities to be completed and the regulations applicable to each country.
Source: Guide to Health Recommendations for Travellers from the High Council of Public Health
