The trend of owning exotic and uncommon pets has prompted concerns about the possible infectious diseases they might spread to humans. Photo: CFP

In China, the tortoise has traditionally been regarded as auspicious animal auguring good health and longevity. So several weeks after retiring from his job as a driving instructor, 58-year-old Li Xianming spent nearly 3,000 yuan ($490) to buy a rare, imported species as a talisman for his life ahead.

However, Li's tortoise did not bring him good health. Instead, it brought him a painful infection, after he scratched his finger while washing the tortoise's glass tank.

"At first, my right middle finger started feeling itchy. Then a lot of small red welts started appearing," said Li. "After that, I started to have welts all over the back of my hand. I was quite scared."

Li went to the hospital and was diagnosed with aquarium granuloma, also known as "fish-tank granuloma." The skin condition is caused by a rare bacteria called mycobacterium marinum, which usually infects people through wounds in the skin.

"The doctor said it was highly possible that the infection was due to the tortoise because the bacteria is only carried by aquatic animals," said Li. "He said that even if the bacteria was not carried by the tortoise originally, it could have been transmitted from other aquatic animals that the tortoise was transported to China with."

In recent years in China, a market has emerged for the keeping of animals that are exotic or otherwise not commonly thought of as pets. Some are keeping animals that are fairly mundane, such as  tortoises, rodents, and rare fish. But others are seeking out rarer and endangered animals, from apes to birds of prey.

A number of these animals are illegal to keep as pets in China, and are obtained on the black market. Even those that can be legally kept as pets may not have entered the market legally, as Li discovered when he tried to return the tortoise to the man from whom he bought it.

"When I showed the vendor my infection and asked him if he had permission to import the turtle, he refused to reply," Li said.

A spokesperson for the Chengdu Conservation Society of Amphibians and Reptiles of the Chinese Academy of Sciences estimated that there were "hundreds of thousands" of people in China who kept uncommon or exotic animals as pets, a large number of which had been smuggled to China illegally.

Besides the ethical objections that can be raised against owning such animals and the dangers these animals might pose to their owners by keeping them in confinement, infectious disease experts have warned people to beware of the possibility of contracting dangerous diseases from these animals.

Zhang Jijun, an official at the Beijing Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, told the Beijing News this month that animals being trafficked illegally on the black market pose great risk to owners, as they have not undergone the regulatory screening processes for infectious disease required by law.

A man plays with his pet squirrel in a park in Shijingshan district, Beijing. Photo: Li Hao/GT

Ailing alpacas

In recent years in China, alpacas have become one of the most sought-after animals to be kept as a pet. Native to South America, they are now bred in this country, as well as a number of others including Australia, Japan, Germany and the US.

"Young people really like alpacas, because they're novel, docile and adorable," said Xiao Qinglin, 29, whose boss recently bought two alpacas for his wedding planning business. "My boss bought his alpacas from Shandong Province, but a lot of people now buy them directly from online stores on Taobao."

Zhou Zhongqin, who manages a company in Beijing that sells and rents alpacas called China Alpaca Base, said that animals are so popular that they are having trouble meeting demand.

"Although it costs between 40,000 yuan ($6530.72) and 70,000 yuan to buy an alpaca, our supply always falls short of demand," said Zhou. "We've received so many orders that we can't keep track."

Despite their popularity, infectious disease experts warn that alpacas can carry harmful diseases that can be transmitted to humans. In August this year, the Beijing Youth Daily reported that 13 alpacas from Chile were put down by Beijing Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau after testing positive for Q fever, an acute infectious disease that can be contracted in humans through contact with the milk, urine, feces, vaginal mucus or semen of the infected animal. Humans infected with Q fever can experience respiratory problems, in addition to flu-like symptoms, including fever, nausea and severe headaches.

The pathogen of Q fever can also be used to produce biological weapons, according to the same report.

"Humans are very vulnerable to Q fever," said Zhang Zhaoping, deputy director of animal and plant quarantine supervision at the bureau in comments made in the report. "Transmission can occur by inhaling the infectious air and dust, as well as from contact with waste from the infected animal."

Xiao said that after hearing news about alpacas being potential carriers for Q fever, she stopped touching them, although she has no reason to believe the alpacas bought by her boss are infected. 

Planet of the apes

After watching Hollywood blockbuster Rise of the Apes earlier this year, 28-year-old Fang Di had the idea of owning an ape as a pet.

"[In the film], there is a little baby ape, which is so small and cute," she said. "It's curious about humans and is just like a human baby, which made me think about having one as a pet."

It is illegal in China to keep primate animals as pets without special authorization due to the fact that they are nationally protected animals. However, this did not dissuade Fang.

She said it was not difficult for her to find people who were willing to sell primates on the black market.

"I joined an online QQ group and found a number of sellers. They were offering mainly two kinds - Lazy Loris [Loris tardigradus] and Japanese pocket-size monkey [Macaca fuscata]," said Fang. "They told me the prices were around 20,000 yuan. It's a little expensive, so I am still hesitating."

In an interview with the Western China Metropolis in August, Zhang Jinshuo, a zoologist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that primate species were not suited to being kept as pets, and could pose a serious danger to their owners. Speaking about Japanese pocket-size monkeys, he said that many of the ones being sold actually belonged to the rhesus macaque (macaca mulatta) species, and can grow to a size of between 25 kilograms and 30 kilograms.

He said that during the breeding period of the animal, they could become extremely aggressive.

There was also the issue of the diseases that primates, especially those that are obtained and sold illegally, could transmit to their owners.

"Many primate animals carry dangerous viral diseases, such as rabies," said Zhang in the report. "They can also carry herpes, which can be transmitted from the animal to a human." 

People who had been scratched or bitten by primate animals carrying such diseases are at risk of becoming infected, said Zhang. 

Keeping one's guard

Media reports have noted that snakes, lizards, tortoises, rare fish, rodents, rabbits and birds are also becoming popular choices for pets.

In a report published on the website news.qq.com in August, a staff member at the pet injury treatment center at Beijing 304 Hospital surnamed He advised that many of these animals, especially if captured in the wild, can carry bacterial and parasitical diseases that can induce hepatitis, as well as a number of skin diseases and respiratory diseases in humans. These diseases can be transmitted through cleaning the tank or cage in which the animals are kept, or through being bitten by the animals, said He.

In the case of birds, certain bacteria like chlamydia psittaci, can be transmitted through the air as well as through contact with animals, said He. The bacteria can cause flu-like symptoms in humans. If left untreated, it can lead to life-threatening pneumonia. 

Cai Haodong, an infectious disease specialist at Beijing Ditan Hospital, said in a Beijing Sci-Tech report that in order to avoid contracting diseases from pets, including dogs and cats, constant vigilance was required.

He said that people should abide by the law and not procure pets illegally. In addition, pet hygiene was crucial. The pets' cage or nest should be cleaned frequently, and pet owners should avoid directly touching animal waste.

Cai said that regular health examinations for the pets should be carried out, with vaccinations given when necessary. 

He also had a few basic rules for pet owners to follow. 

"Pet owners shouldn't allow their pets to share their bed, hold their pets cheek to cheek, or kiss their pets on the mouth," said Cai. "They shouldn't let animals lick any wounds they have, either."

"Never eat at the same time when you're cleaning your pet, and don't put pet toys or other objects near food and drinking water," Cai advised. "Pet owners should also wash their hands with sanitizer each time after touching their pets."

Global Times - Agencies