Public health response to an imported case of canine melioidosis

We describe a multijurisdictional public health response to a case of subclinical urinary B. pseudomallei infection in a dog that had been adopted into upstate New York from a shelter in Thailand. Investigation disclosed three human contacts with single, low‐risk exposures to the dog's urine at his residence, and 16 human contacts with possible exposure to his urine or culture isolates at a veterinary hospital. Contacts were offered various combinations of symptom/fever monitoring, baseline and repeat B. pseudomallei serologic testing, and antibiotic post‐exposure prophylaxis, depending on the nature of their exposure and their personal medical histories. The dog's owner accepted recommendations from public health authorities and veterinary clinicians for humane euthanasia. A number of animal rescue organizations actively facilitate adoptions into the United States of shelter dogs from South‐East Asia. This may result in importation of B. pseudomallei into almost any community, with implications for human and animal health.

Source: Zoonoses and Public Health - February 16, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: C. W. Ryan, K. Bishop, D. D. Blaney, S. J. Britton, F. Cantone, C. Egan, M. G. Elrod, C. W. Frye, A. M. Maxted, G. Perkins Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research