AAT Zoonotic Disease Prevention 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A therapy dog program requires annual health screenings. Which test is specifically recommended to detect Giardia, a common zoonotic intestinal parasite in dogs?
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Fecal antigen test or direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) assay (Correct answer)
- Skin scraping culture
- Urinalysis with microscopy
Correct answer: Fecal antigen test or direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) assay
Giardia is best detected through fecal antigen tests or DFA assay, as standard fecal flotation may miss Giardia cysts.
Question 2: Ringworm (dermatophytosis) is a fungal zoonosis. Which AAT setting poses the greatest transmission risk to clients?
- Outdoor equine-assisted therapy with adolescents (Correct answer)
- Hospital visits with adult therapy dogs
- Aquatic therapy with fish tanks nearby
- Prison visits with trained service dogs
Correct answer: Outdoor equine-assisted therapy with adolescents
Equine-assisted therapy involves close, prolonged physical contact with horses, which can carry Trichophyton equinum, increasing ringworm transmission risk.
Question 3: What does the term 'fomite' mean in the context of zoonotic disease transmission during AAT?
- An animal that shows no symptoms but carries a pathogen
- An inanimate object that can harbor and transfer infectious agents (Correct answer)
- A blood-borne pathogen requiring needle exposure
- A legally reportable communicable disease
Correct answer: An inanimate object that can harbor and transfer infectious agents
Fomites are inanimate objects such as leashes, harnesses, or furniture that can carry pathogens and facilitate indirect zoonotic transmission.
Question 4: Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) is most associated with which animals commonly used in farm animal-assisted therapy?
- Horses and donkeys
- Goats, sheep, and cattle (Correct answer)
- Rabbits and guinea pigs
- Llamas and alpacas
Correct answer: Goats, sheep, and cattle
Goats, sheep, and cattle are the primary reservoirs of Coxiella burnetii, particularly during parturition when high concentrations are shed in birth fluids.
Question 5: An AAT handler is selecting appropriate PPE for a session involving a therapy dog in a wound care unit. Which combination is MOST appropriate?
- No PPE is needed if the dog is vaccinated and healthy
- Gloves only, changed between patients
- Gloves and a clean facility gown or smock, changed between patients (Correct answer)
- Full surgical mask, gloves, and gown for every patient contact
Correct answer: Gloves and a clean facility gown or smock, changed between patients
Gloves and a clean outer layer protect patients with open wounds from animal-associated pathogens and prevent cross-contamination between patients.
Question 6: Which statement best describes 'reverse zoonosis' (anthroponosis) in the context of AAT programs?
- When animals transmit diseases to humans through direct contact
- When humans transmit pathogens to therapy animals, which may then spread them (Correct answer)
- When a zoonotic disease is treated with animal-derived antibiotics
- When therapy animals develop immunity from repeated human exposure
Correct answer: When humans transmit pathogens to therapy animals, which may then spread them
Reverse zoonosis occurs when humans transmit pathogens to animals; therapy animals visiting multiple facilities can then carry and spread these pathogens.
Question 7: Toxoplasmosis poses the greatest documented risk to which AAT client group involving cat-assisted therapy?
- Immunocompetent elderly residents in nursing homes
- Pregnant women, especially those who are seronegative (Correct answer)
- Children with autism spectrum disorder
- Veterans with PTSD
Correct answer: Pregnant women, especially those who are seronegative
Seronegative pregnant women face risk of primary Toxoplasma infection which can cause severe fetal harm including stillbirth, neurological damage, and chorioretinitis.
AAT Zoonotic Disease Prevention 3
A therapy dog program requires annual health screenings.
Which test is specifically recommended to detect Giardia, a common zoonotic intestinal parasite in dogs?