Health Tip – Audio Version - Pet the bunny? Wash your hands
Health Tip – Healthy Next Step:Healthy Pets Healthy People (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

The animals in the petting zoo are cute. What’s not cute are the germs on those little animals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that, over the past decade, there have been more cases of infectious diseases from animal exhibits.

CDC’s Casey Barton Behravesh says part of the problem is hand to mouth infection. Hands that pet animals or touch animal areas can pick up germs like E. coli, which can cause serious infections. So she says those hands need to be washed:

“Hands should be washed with soap and water right after visiting the animal area, even if you did not touch an animal. Scrub your hands vigorously for about the time it takes to sing the happy birthday song twice.”

And use enough soap and water to make lots of bubbles.

Health Tip courtesy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Last revised: August, 20 2007