# contagious



## mcwojo (Dec 29, 2010)

Can hedgies get illnesses from humans such as colds and flu?


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## smhufflepuff (Aug 28, 2008)

Not sure about colds and flu. I've had colds before, my hedgies have not been infected by any cold I've had. However, I'm also very careful when I'm sick (washing hands, changing into a new shirt, only handling them for the bare minimum amount of time needed) just in case it could spread.

Two things I've run into that I know can be spread between hedgies and humans are giardia and MRSA. Fortunately, my knowledge does not come from direct experience where both humans and hedgies had the same thing at the same time (knock on wood regarding the latter!!), but the vets, articles, and human doctors have told me so.


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## Eotheod (Nov 30, 2010)

Like smhufflepuff mentioned, bacterial (MRSA)/parasitic problems(giardia) can be transmitted across species lines - but it would need a susceptible host, a point of entry, etc.

<ick alert>For instance staph bacteria is living on your skin now. It isn't a problem until a scratch or other injury allows some of the bacteria to get deeper into your skin where it can cause an infection - in a healthy person this will probably just result in a little bit of redness or a pimple.
<end ick alert>

Viral illnesses are usually pickier things - there are likely some viral illnesses that could make the jump between hedgie and human, but for the most part a virus works much better (or at all) in a certain species than in others. The virus has to find the right lock(species) to fit its key into before it can cause a problem.


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## Ophelia (Dec 10, 2010)

Great, now you guys are going to make me worry even more.  I actually have MRSA (don't know if it's still around because I'm not getting the same symptoms as before), is there anything I need to do to be even more cautious? I know MRSA can be spread through humans by just touching. Sooo...is my girl going to be okay? ;-;


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## smhufflepuff (Aug 28, 2008)

Ophelia said:


> I actually have MRSA ... is there anything I need to do to be even more cautious? I know MRSA can be spread through humans by just touching. Sooo...is my girl going to be okay?


I have the opposite situation: humans okay; hedgies have MRSA.

Our vet told us to wash our hands before touching the hedgies, use gloves, change clothes, and wash afterwards. Our human doctor told us to wash after handling the hedgies. I think human doctor failed to take into account the prickly nature of hedgies and the transmission of any other possible bugs from us to hedgie like our vet did. So we're doing all of the above.

My initial thought would be wash up, cover any wounds, and wear a clean shirt before you get your girl out. But I'd suggest calling your vet for a recommendation unless there are clear guidelines that I'm just not aware of yet.

ETA: Oh, you could probably get tested by your human doctor to see how you're faring.


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## Eotheod (Nov 30, 2010)

[urlhttp://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/pdf/ar/mrsapatientinfosheet.pdf][/url] <= CDC sheet about staph infections(MRSA is a type of staph).

To keep your hedgie safe just keep him/her away from any contact with areas that have MRSA (MRSA can be internal, in mucous membranes like the nose, external in one small area or generalized over larger skin areas so I am generalizing here - doesn't matter where the infection is, just keep the hedgie away from any potential infected areas and any wounds/clothing or blankets that may have come into contact with infected areas, reddened skin areas, pimples, etc). Wash your hands with a mild soap/hand cleaner, then use an alcohol based sanitizer before handling your hedgie. Wash again after handling. If your hedgie also comes into contact with other areas of your skin consider cleaning them too. Be sure to use a nice gentle lotion too, washing your hands frequently can be bad by itself. If the infection is in your airways/nose/mouth keep your face away, don't talk a lot at him if it is in your mouth, try not to sneeze at him, etc.


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## Ophelia (Dec 10, 2010)

Well, I'm not sure I have just an "affected" area, because symptoms I had were all over. 

But Smufflepuff, you said yours has it, does it affect them in anyway? Like, MRSA in humans on the skin causes very painful boils. does this happen to them? o.o Also, how does a vet test for it?


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## gwenjamin (May 11, 2018)

So with mrsa it does give them boils. It takes a culture to diagnose and they will put them on non-penicillin based antibiotics. It is easily transferred from people to hedgehogs but vise versa is not as common, but you should still take basic precautions and wash your hands, clean cage regularly, etc.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

Please don't post on old threads. This one is from 2011.


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