Infectious Disease Brucellosis in Dogs Spillover to Humans as UK Sees First 2 Cases Confirmed

The first two cases of brucellosis, an infectious disease commonly observed in dogs, have been verified in the UK.

Infectious Disease Brucellosis in Dogs, Now in Humans

According to research by the Human Animal Infections and Risk Surveillance group published on September 18, Brucellosis caused by Brucella canis has been expanding among local dogs since 2020, as opposed to previously only being observed in dogs imported into the UK.

In the UK as of July 2023, there have been 2 confirmed cases of B. canis human infection. After presenting at the hospital, one instance was recognized based on clinical suspicion. A second case was discovered through the follow-up of people who had been exposed to positive dogs but had no clinical symptoms and worked at a veterinary clinic. In all cases, the involved canines had not been known to be infected during the period of human exposure but later tested positive for the infection.

Additionally, this incident marked the first time in UK history that B canis dog-to-dog transmission has been noted.

It's possible that breeding in kennels, which brought about contact and breeding with imported dogs or the progeny of imported dogs, is what caused this outbreak among local canines of the UK. Parts of Eastern Europe, especially Romania, where many dogs are brought into the UK, are plagued by the disease.

Brucella Canis

The bacteria B. canis, which can infect dogs, spreads through the conjunctival, genital, and oronasal mucosae most commonly during social, sexual, and grooming interactions between the canines.

According to the report, the illness can take weeks to years to manifest. Fever, headaches, and muscle discomfort are common signs of the illness in people, and in incredibly uncommon circumstances, endocarditis, arthritis, meningitis, and even Guillain-Barré syndrome can develop as complications. There have been no known cases of the sickness that led to the death of humans.

Although theoretically feasible, there have been no reported cases of B. canis spreading from person to person. However, very few reports of other Brucella species spreading by contact with reproductive tissues, blood transfusion, and organ donation have been made. Generally speaking, this would not be regarded as a frequently occurring mechanism for human-to-human transmission.

Also Read: COVID-19 in White-Tailed Deer Evolves 3 Times Faster Than in Humans; Is Interspecies Transmission Possible? 

Curbing B. Canis By Screening and Euthanasia

The UK government is thinking of implementing B. canis screening to stop infected animals from entering the country and to stop the spread among canines. Experts claim that as a result of B. canis‘ resistance to antibiotic therapy, euthanasia is the sole means of guaranteeing to stop a dog from transmitting the illness.

According to the UK research, the only approach to eliminate the possibility of potential transmission is to euthanize affected dogs.

If this course of action is not adopted, the choice to put a pet to death rests with the owner and veterinarians, as well as their willingness to bear the residual dangers, which will differ on a case-by-case basis. If an infected animal is not euthanized, the dog may be neutered and given a course of antibiotics at the same time.

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