Pet owners beware, you could catch a superbug from just touching your dog or cat: Experts issue terrifying warning over spread of drug-resistant illnesses

Cats and dogs harbour potentially deadly antibiotic-resistant superbugs that they can pass to their owners, a study suggests. A study has found evidence of multidrug-resistant bacteria being passed between sick cats and dogs and their healthy owners in Portugal and the UK The World Health Organisation classes antibiotic resistance as one of the greatest public health threats facing humanity. Drug-resistant infections kill more than 1.2 million people a year globally In five Portuguese households, one home with a cat and four with dogs, both pet and owner were carrying the same strains of Enterobacterales, indicating it had passed between pet and owner. Researcher Juliana Menezes said: ‘Recent research indicates that the transmission of antimicrobial resistance bacteria between humans and animals, including pets, is crucial in maintaining resistance levels, challenging the traditional belief that humans are the main carriers of AMR bacteria in the community. ‘Learning more about the resistance in pets would aid in the development of informed and targeted interventions to safeguard both animal and human health.’ She added: ‘When your pet is unwell, consider isolating them in one room to prevent the spread of bacteria throughout the house and clean the other rooms thoroughly.’