Dog/ Cat Bacterial Infections Flashcards
Common themes of bacterial infections
• Often secondary, If diagnose often need to find out what the primary is
• Isolation does not necessarily equate to clinical relevance.
• Sometimes difficult to interpret a positive result.
• Carriers – clinically normal animals, shedding bacteria
• Antibacterial resistance must be considered.
– is treatment of bacteria always necessary?
• Often not species specific raising questions of zoonosis (and reverse zoonosis).
BActerial infections of dogs
- Salmonella
- Campylobacter
- E.coli
- Leptospirosis
- Borrelia
- Staph
- Ehrlichia
- Tetanus – talk about last 3 another day as primarily in relation to other species
- Botulism
- Brucella
Facts about salmonella
Opportunistic
1. BActeria
2. Gram negative
3. Family enterobacteriaceae
4. Infect wide range of animals, birds and reptiles
5. Gasteroenteritis in humans
6. Food borne most common transmission
• Carried by healthy animals – reservoir (carry without showing symptoms of infection
• Dogs, cats & reptiles – turtles, lizards, snakes, frogs etc – leave salmonella traces in through house if left to free-reign, faeces.
o 10-100% reptiles can shed it
• High incidence in young children due to them testing things with mouths etc
• Outbreak linked to feeder mice
what is illness from salmonella called?
Salmonellosis
Talk about salmonellosis
infection vs disease?
Lots of serovars?
• Infection much more common than disease
– 1-5% normal cats shedding
– up to 25% dogs < 6 months old
• Possible cause of ‘garbage guts syndrome’ in puppies and kittens (e.g. from food or wild birds/rodents).
• Wide range of serovars involved (whatever is local) mostly belonging to Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica…
How is salmonella transmitted?
- indirect: Ingestion of contaminated (raw) food, water or fomites (contaminated by infected faeces)
- Direct contact with an infected animal or human (less common)
What are clinical signs of salmonellosis?
- Pyrexia
- Anorexia
- Vomiting and diarrhoae
- Abdominal pain
- Bacteraemia
- Abortion. stillbirth
- Severe disease in some individuals
How do you diagnose salmonellosis?
- Isolation of Salmonella from faeces
* Infected dogs shed for 4 to 6 weeks – some become carriers
How do you treat salmonellosis?
- Local GI disease (a bit unwell, little diarrhoea) DO NOT USE ANTIBACTERIALS
a) risk of inc AMR
b) evidence that antibacterial use can prolonge shedding
c) let the animal clear the infection. Monitor this by repeat samples - BActeraemia requires antibacterial therapy - minority of cases
a) Suggested antibiotics - trimethoprim and sulphonamide, amoxycillin), do sensitivity tests to make sure get correct antibac first time
Name of disease caused by campylobacter bacteria
CAMPYLOBACTEROSIS
CAMPYLOBACTEROSIS
What type in humans, and dogs?
- In humans mainly C. jejuni (poultry associated most typically) but also C. coli and others
- In dogs mainly C.upsaliensis
- Common with no clinical signs
Campylobacterosis: what is it usually a result of? Diagnosis Treatment What to be aware of?
- Probably secondary or opportunistic pathogens
- Diagnosis: fresh fecal material, special transport and growth media
- Treatment: supportive, like salmonella.
- Potentially zoonotic (relatively rare but if immunocompromsied be more aware)
E coli
- Normal gut flora, certain types can cause damage = toxin producing
- Enteropathogenic E.coli – toxin production
- Commonly use production of Haemolysins as measure of potential significance.
- Isolating E coli from fecal sample is normal but if cultures on blood agar, around colony lysis of blood cells = E coli producing harmolysin and so clinically more significant
Leptospirosis about
- Mobile spirochaete
* Affects humans & a wide range of animals (not species specific) , including mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles
Most common serovars of lepto in dogs:
– Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae
– Leptospira canicola
– Leptospira grippotyphosa
How is lepto transmitted? What about humans?
- Generally urine transmitted
* Relatively rare in humans
Pathogenesis of lepto
• Direct or indirect contact with urine of infected animals
– Including contaminated water or soil
• Penetration through mucous membranes
• Multiplication in blood
• Spread to whole range of tissues – kidney (into urine then passed to next animal), liver (common CS jaundice), spleen, CNS, eyes and genital tract
• Organisms cleared from most tissues but persist in kidneys with renal excretion for weeks/months (carriers).