Diphtheria-Like Germ Can Be Passed Between People and Pets

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Final up to date on June 13, 2024.

By Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, June 13, 2024 — The primary two instances of a diphtheria-like sickness being transmitted in the USA between folks and their pets have been reported in Utah and Colorado.

The respiratory sicknesses occurred in 2022 and 2023 and concerned the Corynebacterium ulceran bacterium, which is carefully associated to the germ that causes diptheria. One latest Japanese research famous that C. ulceran “is extensively distributed within the setting and is taken into account some of the dangerous pathogens to livestock and wildlife.”

Passage between pets and people is way rarer, nevertheless.

The primary such case documented in the USA occurred in 2022 in an individual in Utah who lived with a partner, one other housemate, three cats, and one canine.

The affected person had diabetes and developed a leg wound that may not heal. Lab testing confirmed that the wound was colonized by C. ulceran, and additional exams revealed that the individual’s partner and two of the houses’ three cats additionally carried the bacterium.

Everybody within the family — pets and people alike — obtained antibiotic remedy and the infections step by step cleared.

The second case, which occurred final 12 months, concerned “a Colorado resident experiencing non-resolving higher respiratory signs,” in keeping with the analysis workforce, which was led by Amanda Metz of the Colorado Division of Public Well being and Surroundings.

The affected person lived with a partner and two canine, and likewise had a customer for 2 nights who introduced their canine. Everybody was asymptomatic for sickness besides the affected person, however testing revealed C. ulceran an infection within the affected person and the customer’s canine. Everybody within the family was handled with the antibiotic erythromycin and the affected person recovered.

Metz’ workforce believes that docs now should be looking out for C. ulceran, which has signs similar to diphtheria. It is doable that the diphtheria vaccine may battle C. ulceran, so “routine vaccination with diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccines are essential to guard individuals,” the researchers wrote.

Metz and her colleagues burdened that it is nonetheless not identified whether or not the people in these instances contracted C. ulceran from their pet, or whether or not the pet received C. ulceran from shut contact with their human.

C. ulceran doesn’t unfold person-to-person, nevertheless: “Human-to-human transmission has not been documented,” the researchers mentioned.

“Proof from this investigation means that transmission of toxigenic C. ulcerans between people and family pets occurred, though the course of transmission couldn’t be decided,” Metz’ workforce concluded.

The findings have been revealed June 13 in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a journal of the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.

Sources

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, June 13, 2024

Disclaimer: Statistical information in medical articles present normal developments and don’t pertain to people. Particular person components can fluctuate vastly. At all times search personalised medical recommendation for particular person healthcare selections.

Posted June 2024