Found this article and I'm kinda grossed out.
"Animals can pass parasites on to humans. Children should not kiss or be kissed or licked by pets. This is a very easy pathway for parasites to enter the human body. Keep infants and toddlers away from pets that have not been wormed. Hands should be washed after each and every contact with a pet, otherwise one is putting self at serious risk. Am I saying do away with loving pets? No! We all love our pets, but we must be practical and wise also. I have two cats and love them dearly. However, I am wise about their care. Animals that are strictly indoor animals and that do not come into contact with the outdoors are a much lesser risk, but still a risk. Animals that come and go from the outdoors into the home pose a serious risk, especially to children. Cats and dogs for example clean their anus with their tongues. If they lick you, they are transfering parasites to your skin. If they lick your face, it does not take long for the parasite to find its way into your mouth and your intestine. One particular parasite, a roundworm causes a disease called toxoplasmosis and is usually acquired from cats. A small stratch from a cat or dog can also transmit the parasite. Cats use a cat box. They are moving around feces and urine that has been prior deposited in the cat box. This dirt that has parasites. Cat boxes should be scooped daily and throughly bleached and washed on a weekly basis. Make sure you use gloves, put two pair on when doing this. Use HOT water with the bleach. If you do this is in a bathtub, make sure you bleach and disinfect the bathtub afterwards to kill any bacteria or parasites. Its' best to clean the box outside. Mechanical cat boxes are a breeding ground for bacteria and parasites because you cannot easily disinfect them. Dogs are no different because they also lick their anus. If you have a pet that is stratching its' behind on your carpet, you better get that pet to a vet to get wormed. You should also steam clean, at least three times a year, your carpet. Parasites can be transmitted to carpets from shoes and animals. Never walk barefoot on carpet, especially near doors. Cats should definitely be kept away from new borns and infants less than three year olds. A parent that gets that sweet little kitty for their one year old is playing Russian roulette with their child's life. Parasites can exist on the fur as well. Indoor animals should be bathed regularly just like animals, twice a month, at least! And if it is an outdoor animal that comes indoors, do not let the animal lay on furniture, you are only inviting health problems. You may think this is taking things to an extreme, but believe me, these deadly little parasites are on those dear loving pets of ours. If you own a cat, keep in strictly indoors, never let it go outdoors. If you practice these recommendations, you will find you will have less health problems. Do not under any circumstance, give your pet raw meat of any kind. You are providing the means for a parasite infection in the pet which can easily be transmitted to humans, especially children. Do not let your children play in areas where animals have defecated without spraying the area with bleach. Animal feces should be picked up using a shovel daily and gloves should always be worn and hands washed throughly after any yard work. Wear a air filter mask while you do this if they area is dusty. The dust you breathe in will contain parasites. By the way, any garden work, always wear gloves. There are over 100 different parasites in soil that can be transmitted from the soil. Never work in soil if you have a cut on your hands. The little critters will get into your bloodstream via the cut. Do not flush cat box liter down the toliet. The parasites can cling to the bowl and crawl up to the seat. Once on the seat, they find their way into you. If you see rice like particles coming out in animal feces, they have worms or parasites. Fleas are carriers of tapeworms. Recently a woman in New Jersey had severe lower colon pains and severe blaoting. This went on for several months. She had two dogs in her house that she let outside every day. Several months after trying to cope with the colon pains, she then developed rashes and itching. Nine months later, they found through exploratory surgery, a large 3 and 1/2 foot tape worm inside her and several smaller ones. Upon investigation at her house, fleas were found in the carpet. Do not walk barefoot around animals unless they are strictly an indoor animal."
http://www.dldewey.com/columns/parasf.htm