The government has issued a general public health warning after a family in Worcester are reported as suffering from cat following contact with tuberculosis.
Following the diagnosis, public health officials immediately issued a statement warning the public of the dangers of this kind of contact.
"People should avoid all interaction with this highly dangerous and destructive organism which can have serious adverse effects on both their physical and mental well-being," said the statement. "They should probably try and avoid tuberculosis as well."
"We have become increasingly complacent about the risk of cat in our homes," said Dr. Michael Dempsey, Chief of The Public Health (Feline Prevention) Office. "However, even in this day and age, it is a serious problem which many people have to face on a daily basis."
To assist people who believe that they may be suffering from cat, Dr. Dempsey's department have issued a list of potential symptoms to which people need to be alert. These symptoms include:
- scratch marks on exposed skin;
- frayed clothes and furniture, often with an inexplicably large amount of stray fur;
- a rapidly dwindling food supply in your house;
- a complete lack of available space in any warm and/or comfortable place in the house;
- a noisy, demanding, complaining, coughing, furry presence which will crawl all over you at particularly inconvenient and busy moments.
The government strongly recommends that anyone who experiences two or more of the above symptoms should seek immediate medical and veterinary advice or, failing that, a very large dog.
