A man in Germany had died after contracting a rare infection when his dog licked him, and he was 63 years old.
The doctors have warned pet owners to seek medical advice if they ever experience any flu-like symptoms following the rare case of the 63-year-old man from Germany. The details of the illness were published in the European Journal of Case Reports in Internal Medicine.
The infection was caused by Capnocytophaga canimorsus, according to the doctors. It is a bacterium that is commonly found in the mouths of dogs and cats. It is transferred to humans only in rare cases. The bacteria can be transmitted through an animal bite, but the hospital confirmed that he was not bitten.
According to the doctors at the Red Cross Hospital in Bremen, Germany, the man had been licked and touched, but he was not injured or bitten by his dog in the previous weeks before his death.
The man reported flu-like symptoms, and he later developed severe sepsis and purpura fulminans, which is an acute disorder that causes bruising, blood spots, and discoloration of the skin as well as necrosis. He was treated in intensive care, but his health continued to deteriorate, and he eventually passed away due to multiple organ failure.
The doctors then stated that pet owners with banal symptoms should seek medical advice immediately, especially if the symptoms are unusual.
Danger on health
In May, a woman in Ohio had her hands and legs amputated after contracting rare infection from the bacteria capnocytophaga canimorsus. The doctors say that the infection could have happened when her German shepherd puppy licked an open cut.
Last year, surgeons amputated parts of a Wisconsin man's limbs and nose, including both feet and hands, after the same bacteria infected his body.
According to Dr. Stephen Cole, a lecturer in veterinary microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, the type of bacterium, capnocytophaga canimorsus, is a normal flora of a dog's mouth, and they do not cause any significant disease usually. But in the wrong place, at the wrong time and in the wrong patient, it can lead to severe infections, but this rarely happens.
How do people get infected with the bacteria?
Many capnocytophaga germs are normal bacteria found in the mouths of people, dogs, and cats. These germs sometimes cause infections, which means under the right conditions, they can cause an infection, such as in a person with a weakened immune system.
- People with weakened immune systems include those who:
- Those who drink alcohol excessively
- Have an HIV infection or cancer
People with these conditions should talk to their doctors about how to safely interact with dogs and cats.
The capnocytophaga germs that are common in dogs and cats can be spread to people through a bite or after close contact with dogs or cats. Infections are usually connected to dog bites or dog contact.
Other Capnocytophaga germs can also be found in human mouths and they can cause illness in some people who have the bacteria in their own mouth. People who have weak immune systems get this kind of infection more than healthy people. The infections happen in tissues that are connected to the throat and mouth including:
- Periodontal (gum) disease
- Respiratory tract infections (infections of the mouth, nose, throat, and lungs)
- Eye infections
In both kinds of infections, those that spread from humans or animals, the bacteria can enter a person's bloodstream, which can eventually lead to infection in different parts of the body. The infection could cause the following:
- Septicemia (blood infection)
- Endocarditis (inflammation of the lining of the heart)
- Abscesses (collections of pus in the tissue that cause redness and swelling) in various body tissues
- Inflammation of the eyes, face, lymph nodes, or brain membranes
Most contact with cats and dogs does not lead to a capnocytophaga infection or any illness, even after a dog bite or a cat scratch. However, it is best that you take precautions if you have any contact with animals, especially if you have a condition that puts you at risk for infection.
