Cuddly Creatures and Perilous Pathogens: Zoonotic E. coli Transfer in the Petting Zoo Setting

Abstract

Within the petting zoo setting, there is a growing concern about the possibility of zoonotic E. coli transfer between the animals and the zoo’s human patrons. This study examined animal-to-animal transmission through a 10 trial simulation at different enclosure sizes. This study then examined animal-to-human transmission through a 20 trial simulation with both different probabilities of human infection and different levels of visitor traffic. These simulations were supported by a survey of 12 actual petting zoos. It was found that infection was higher in larger enclosures, higher probability of infection lead to both more infected individuals and preventative measures ceasing to work. The surveys showed that real zoos were often lacking appropriate preventative measures. Going forward, it is vital to continue this work to improve preventative measures in this setting.