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One of the few bastions of purity left in this abandoned world – puppies – could inadvertently spread a bacterial Super bacterium that causes diarrhea. Last week, the Centers for Disease and Prevention reported that an epidemic of Campylobacter jejuni In the past two years, more than 100 people have been sick in 18 states. And most of these victims have recently been in contact with a pet puppy.
C. jejuni is one of the most common causes of food poisoning, causing about 1.3 million cases in the United States each year. Most of these cases are isolated and rarely appear as part of an epidemic. However, epidemics can occur and dogs are known to be an occasional source of C. jejuni infections
In August 2017, the Florida Department of Health caught the wind of six C. jejuni cases related to a single national pet shop chain based in Ohio. The CDC then became involved and confirmed that the same strain behind Florida's business was also responsible for a case in Ohio, according to their report. Subsequently, health and agriculture organizations from several states, as well as the CDC, began sweeping the country in search of similar events.
As of February 28, 2018, 118 confirmed or probable cases of the same epidemic strain had been reported in 18 states. Of the 106 people interviewed by government officials, 105 reported being exposed to dogs before becoming ill, including 101 who recalled touching puppies; 29 of these patients were pet shop employees. At least 24 people were hospitalized, although none died.
C. jejuni usually disappears without treatment, causing two to three days of often bloody diarrhea, cramps and fever. But this can be more dangerous in people whose immune system is weakened. And rarely, it can cause a painful neurological condition after the defeat of the infection, known as Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Perhaps more disturbing than the cases themselves is the particular strain of C. jejuni involved in the epidemic. It has proven resistant to all the commonly used antibiotics against Campylobacter bacteria. And of the 149 puppies examined by health authorities, 95% had received antibiotics, which may have contributed to antibiotic resistance of the strain.
There were six pet supply chains related to the outbreak, although the report does not name them. The CDC reported elsewhere that the majority of cases were related to Petland stores. However, no breeder, distributor or transporter has been identified as the main source of the infection. Since puppies of different breeders often mix along the road to a pet store, it is likely that the infection spreads easily between puppies from various sources.
The epidemic is the largest of its kind related to dogs. And this is the first time that such a strain is resistant to antibiotics. But although the CDC's investigation is officially over, the threat of new business is not.
"Consumers, employees and clinicians should be aware of the risk of transmission of diseases by puppies, including the possibility of exposure to multidrug-resistant pathogens," the report concluded.
Commercial breeders, he added, may need stricter regulations and education to make sure they only use antibiotics with the permission of a veterinarian.
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