In a first, three people in the United Kingdom have contracted a dog disease. According to media reports, this is the first time this disease has been reported in Canines.
The bacteria Brucella canis is a Gram-negative bacterium in the family Brucellaceae and it causes brucellosis in dogs and other canids. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this bacterium can also cause infection in humans.
The US Health Body also maintains that there are no serological tests to detect antibodies to Brucella canis at the moment.
According to a report by Daily Mail, the UK Health Security agency has confirmed that three Brits have also caught the disease from infected animals. The government officials also said that they have now spotted the disease spreading among animals in the UK.
According to media reports, cases of this bacterial infection among dogs in the UK have also skyrocketed, with a record 91 already spotted this year. Reportedly, the cases of this infection came from dogs that had either had contact with an imported dog or were the offspring of an imported dog.
There were just 9 cases in 2020, but this rose to 36 the following year and increased to 55 in 2022. As of July this year 91 cases have been identified in the UK, according to HAIRS.
According to media reports, the British Veterinary Association has mentioned that Public Health England has assessed the present circumstances. It also offers essential guidance to veterinary experts and organisations engaged in the import of dogs from regions where Brucella canis is prevalent.
As the diseases in untreatable among dogs, the government guidelines advocate for euthanasia as the recommended course of action as the animal considered infected for life. It is noteworthy that for humans, effective treatment is available through an extended regimen of antibiotics.
What are the signs and symptoms among humans?
According to the CDC, Brucellosis can cause of range of signs and symptoms:
Initial symptoms can include:
- fever
- sweats
- malaise
- anorexia
- headache
- pain in muscles, joint, and/or back
- fatigue
Some signs and symptoms may persist for longer periods of time. Others may never go away or reoccur, CDC maintains.
These can include:
- recurrent fevers
- arthritis
- swelling of the testicle and scrotum area
- swelling of the heart (endocarditis)
- neurologic symptoms (in up to 5% of all cases)
- chronic fatigue
- depression
- swelling of the liver and/or spleen
What is the treatment?
According to the US Health Body, once a diagnosis is made, a doctor can prescribe antibiotics.
“Depending on the timing of treatment and severity of illness, recovery may take a few weeks to several months. Death from brucellosis is rare, occurring in no more than 2% of all cases,” it added.
