Capnocytophaga infection in humans is rare.
Extremely rare, but potentially deadly when it occurs. Unlike lightning, however, capnocytophaga does discriminate. Healthy people can get the bacteria, but individuals who have difficulty fighting off infections are at an increased risk, especially if they are bitten by a dog.
People who are infected with Capnocytophaga can have a range of signs and symptoms such as: Blisters around the bite wound within hours of the bite. Redness, swelling, draining pus, or pain at the bite wound. Fever.
Although the common bacterium is found in about 75% of dogs, the chances of developing an infection from a lick are extremely rare, doctors say. "It is a one in over a million,” orthopedic surgeon Dr.
Capnocytophaga canimorsus may cause severe infections, including sepsis (blood poisoning), bacteria in the blood (bacteremia), and gangrene (dead tissue) of digits or limbs.
Do All Dogs Carry Capnocytophaga? No, not every dog carries the bacteria, but a recent study found the bacteria in 69.7% of dogs tested, as well as 54.8% of cats. It doesn't hurt them or cause any symptoms, so you likely won't know unless you have your pet tested.
A case fatality rate of up to 31 percent has been reported [3-6]; mortality is high even among patients who are immunocompetent. C. canimorsus is the most common cause of severe Capnocytophaga infection in humans and the cause of most dog bite-associated Capnocytophaga infections [6]. Risk factors for C.
cynodegmi are commensal organisms in the mouths of dogs or cats [1–3]. Capnocytophaga infection in humans is rare.
One of the most common ways to pick up an illness or infection from a dog is through saliva. But, it's important to know that it usually takes a bite or skin abrasion for a dog's germs to cause infection in a person. This means you can continue to let you dog lick your face — if that's your thing.
MODE OF TRANSMISSION: C. canimorsus and C. cynodegmi are mainly associated with dog and cat bites or close animal contact 2 7 10. INCUBATION PERIOD: The incubation period from the dog bite to the onset of systemic symptoms is about 5 days (range, 1 to 8 days, occasionally up to 30 days) 7 10.
Capnocytophaga is a fastidious, gram-negative bacillus. Diagnosis can be made by culture; however, since the organism grows slowly (2–7 days) and requires blood or chocolate agar incubated with 10% carbon dioxide, the diagnosis can be missed.
Signs and Symptoms of Capnocytophaga Infection
Symptom onset begins 3 to 5 days after an animal bite, but can range from 1 to 14 days. Symptoms can progress rapidly from mild, localized infection to systemic infection, including sepsis, organ failure, meningitis, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).
Mortality rate is extremely high [2], since infection can lead to fulminant sepsis. Hence, survival is strictly related to prompt empiric treatment.
Many kinds of bacteria (germs) called Capnocytophaga live in the mouths of dogs and cats. These germs do not make dogs or cats sick. Rarely, Capnocytophaga germs can spread to people through bites, scratches, or close contact from a dog or cat and may cause illness, including sepsis.
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 more often linked to dog bites or dog contact.
In general, many antibiotics, including penicillins, clindamycin, macrolides, and quinolones, are effective in treating Capnocytophaga infections (6, 10, 11, 21). However, strains that produce beta-lactamases and that cause septicemia have recently been described (1, 7, 9, 19).
“When dog saliva touches intact human skin, especially in a healthy person, it is extremely unlikely to cause any problems, as there will be very little absorption through the skin,” Dr. Kaplan wrote in an email.
Should You Allow Your Dog To Lick You? For most healthy people, a dog licking faces or other body parts should pose minimal health risk. If you are concerned, then do not let dogs lick your mouth or anywhere near an open skin wound.
Leni K. Kaplan, of Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, told the Times that pet owners shouldn't let their dog kiss a person's mouth, nose, and eyes, through which certain pathogens, including salmonella and E. coli, can be transmitted.
Most dogs and many cats have Capnocytophaga and other germs in their mouths (oral flora). These germs do not make the animals sick. Animals can be tested to see if they have Capnocytophaga germs, but a negative result may not mean the animal will always be negative – and the same is true for a positive result.
Capnocytophaga very commonly lives in the mouths of healthy dogs and cats (and possibly other animal species). > Between 26-74% of dogs and 18-57% of cats may carry C. canimorsus in their mouths.
Healthy dogs and cats carry the bacterial pathogen referred to as Capnocytophaga canimorsus. However, it is a very rare occurrence for this pathogen from dog saliva to develop into a septic infection in a human.
Lower respiratory tract infections (including pneumonia) account for more than 4 million deaths worldwide each year—the greatest global killer among infectious diseases.
Does Dog Saliva Infect Wounds? Unfortunately, dog saliva can infect wounds. There are a number of bacteria present in animals' mouths that can cause infections in people, some of which can be severe. One example is a bacteria called Pasteurella that grows well in areas without air, such as deep wounds.
A dog's saliva is not cleaner than ours.
One study found that only 16.4% of identified microbes are shared between humans and dogs. Researchers discovered that dogs have a type of bacteria called Porphyromonas gulae, which is known to cause periodontal disease.