In the antimicrobial stewardship area, there are a number of things that would be so easy to address (the “low hanging fruit”) but have received surprisingly little attention. A prime example is human use of antibiotic products intended for use in animals that are purchased over-the-counter (OTC) or over-the internet, without a prescription. Yes, this
Outbreak Report #1: Campylobacter from puppies
A couple of recent outbreak reports are interesting, though unsurprising, and they help raise awareness about some important issues. Here’s the first one.
The CDC recently released an update on the ongoing investigation into antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter infections from puppies. Contact with puppies (and kittens) has been shown to be a risk factor for people
Campylobacter outbreak from pet store puppies (and an antibiotic rant)
This week’s edition of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report has a summary of the 2016-2018 campylobacterosis outbreak linked to pet store puppies. Nothing is particularly surprising, but that doesn’t mean it’s not disappointing (or depressing).
Click here for the complete article. Here’s a (relatively) brief summary:
- It all started when sequencing
Update: Petland puppy Campylobacter outbreak (Jan 29)
I was talking to someone today about their new puppy, their puppy’s diarrhea and (take a guess) the fact that they developed diarrhea shortly thereafter. Odds are pretty good that puppy and owner both have campylobacteriosis. While this infection isn’t related to the ongoing US multistate Campylobacter outbreak linked to puppies from Petland stores,
Update: Petland puppy Campylobacter outbreak (Oct 31)
The CDC has posted an update on the outbreak of Campylobacter infections in the US linked to puppies from Petland, a pet store chain.
Here are the highlights:
- The case count is now up to 67, in 15 states (see map and graph of case occurrence below). The true number of infected people is
Update: Petland puppy Campylobacter outbreak (Oct 5)
Here’s some follow up information from the recent (and probably ongoing) outbreak of Campylobacter infections linked to puppies purchased at Petland stores in the US:
- 55 infected people have been identified now. That’s probably just a fraction of the people who were truly infected, because of the number of steps that need to happen
Campylobacter outbreak from puppies
Cute. Frustrating. Cuddly. Biohazardous
All of these apply to puppies. It’s well recognized that puppies (and kittens) pose increased infectious disease risks, for a few reasons. These include a higher likelihood of shedding various pathogens, greater environmental contamination when they poop on the floor (or anywhere else) and a tendency to cause minor bites and
Psittacosis in a pet store worker
Following up on yesterday’s post about a bird-and-fish-associated infection, this next story also involves a pet bird, but with a much worse outcome. It involves a young woman who developed a very serious case of psittacosis linked to her job in a pet store. Psittacosis is a bacterial disease caused by Chlamydophila psittaci,
PetSmart employee worried about rabies after rat bite
As reported on WKTR NewsChannel 3 in Virginia:
“An employee at PetSmart [in Williamburg, Virginia] says she was bitten by a rat on display and is now worried she has rabies. She feels the store isn’t doing enough to help her find out if she has it.
Victoria Verbeeck says she was working at the
Rat bite fever…who’s liable?
A Colorado family is suing PetsMart and a rat supplier after their son developed rat bite fever (RBF), following a bite from a newly acquired rat. Lawsuits seem to be increasingly common after zoonotic infections, which is probably more of a reflection of an increasing tendency for people to sue, not an increasing occurrence