Zoonotic Infections

Question 1

What is an example of interspecies spread between dogs and cats?

Answer 1

• Canine parvovirus can be transmitted to cats!
• Bordetella

Question 2

How can veterinary practices prevent spread of zoonotic infections?

Answer 2

• Everyone should work to the same standards, SOPs, and protocols and those should be consistently HIGH
• Seperate dog and cat wards
• Vaccine policies
• Suitable disinfectants
• Isolation wards
• Wash hands

Question 3

What is true about using gloves to prevent spread of zoonotic disease?

Answer 3

• Shouldn’t be worn unnecessarily, prolonged use may cause adverse skin reactions and skin sensitivity
• Hands should ALWAYS be washed after removal of gloves
• Gloves DO NOT eliminate the need to wash hands

Question 4

What is the most common organism causing painful swelling and abscessation in a human from a bite wound?

Answer 4

Pasteurella multocida

Question 5

What is the most common causative agent of Cat Scratch Fever in humans?

Answer 5

Bartonella henselae

Question 6

How is Bartonella henselae transmitted in cats?

Answer 6

• Ticks
• Cat flea

(cat scratch fever)

Question 7

What clinical signs can be seen in cats infected with Bartonella?

Answer 7

• Mild, transient inappetence +/- pyrexia in most cases
• Lymphadenopathy
• Neuro signs (focal seizures)
• Endocarditis (Study showed 50% of cats with restrictive cardiomyopathy had Bartonella)
• Repro failure

Question 8

What is the first line treatment option for cats with Bartonellosis?

Answer 8

• Doxycycline
• Only recommended in cats living with immunosuppressed people, or cat with CS of myocarditis/endocarditis or neuro signs

Question 9

What is the prognosis for Bartonellosis in cats?

Answer 9

• Usually very good with tx of Doxycycline
• Rarely demonstrate significant CS

Question 10

How is Bartonella dignosed?

Answer 10

PCR

(hard to culture, lengthy process)

Question 11

How do humans with Bartonellosis typically present?

Answer 11

• Swollen LN, fatigue, muscle pain, sore throat
• Serious illness is rare, usually self limiting
• Rarely causes endocarditis/myocarditis and neuro signs in humans
• Immunosuppressed people most at risk, but can infect immunocompetent ppl

Question 12

Which cats are more at risk of mycobacterial infections?

Answer 12

• Indoor cats on RAW FOOD diet
• Outdoor cats roaming/hunting
• Adult male cats

Question 13

What agents cause tuberculosis in dogs and cats?

Answer 13

• Mycobacterium tuberculosis
• Mycobacterium bovis most zoonotic and reportable
• Mycobacterium microti

(causes granulomatous formation in the respiratory tract)

Question 14

List non-tuberculosis (Saprophytic) diseases

Answer 14

• Feline leprosy (M. lepraemurium)
• M. avium (MAC)
• M. chelonae
• M. smegmatis
• M. genavense
• M. malmonoense

(M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, and M. microti cause tuberculosis)

Question 15

What mycobacterial diseases in dogs and cats are most zoonotic?

Answer 15

• M. bovis most zoonotic and reportable
• M. tuberculosis
• M. microti

(tuberculosis causing resp signs and coughing is the main route of transmission)

Question 16

How can radiographs be beneficial in diagnosing mycobacterial infections?

Answer 16

• ID osteolytic changes
• ID milliary interstitial lung pattern
• ID lymphadenopathy

Question 17

What cats are most at risk for Feline Leprosy?

Answer 17

• Adults
• Hunting / roaming
• Around soil
• Around rats
• Subtropical areas

Question 18

How do patients with saprophytic/ non-tuberculosis mycobacterial infections present?

Answer 18

• Cutaneous skin nodules, panniculitis, draining tracts, salt and pepper skin lesions

Question 19

What can be seen on chemistry panel in a patient with mycobacterial infection?

Answer 19

Hypercalcemia

(G in DRAGONSHIT, granulomatous disease)

Question 20

What diagnostic tests can be performed to aid in diagnosis of mycobacterial infections?

Answer 20

• PCR is best, requires 2 samples from live tissue
• Radiographs
• IFNg test (only detects granulomatous forms, used to differentiate saprophytic vs granulomatous)
• Cytology and histopath (ZN stain only picks up 1 in 3 cases, false negatives)

Question 21

What stain is necessary for mycobacterial cytology samples?

Answer 21

ZN stain

Question 22

What are the limitations to using cytology and histo to diagnose mycobacterial diseases?

Answer 22

• ZN stain only picks up 1 in 3 cases, frequent false negatives

Question 23

What is the treatment protocol for patients with mycobacterial tuberculosis?

Answer 23

• Surgical excision if localized
• Triple therapy with Rifampin, Pradofloxacin/Marbofloxacin, and Clarithomycin/Azithromycin, +/- Vitamin D
• D/C rifampin and continue Double therapy until 6+ months
• LONG treatment, 4-6 months

Question 24

What is the treatment protocol for patients with non-tuberculosis mycobacterial infections?

Answer 24

• Surgical excision if localized
• Doxycycline and Pradofloxacin/Marbofloxacin

Question 25

What needs to be monitored in patients being treated for mycobacterial tuberculosis?

Answer 25

• Rifampin causing hepatotoxicity
• Quinolones and Macrolides causing nephrotoxicity

Question 26

How do cats with poxvirus typically present?

Answer 26

• Cutaneous lesions
• Small scabs on the chin
• Necrotizing pneumonia

Question 27

How do cats get Feline Leprosy?

Answer 27

• Enters via a wound, typically from a rodent bite

Question 28

What CS can patients with mycobacterial tuberculosis present with?

Answer 28

• **Coughing from pyogranulomas in lungs 🫁 **
• Lymphadenopathy
• Cutaneous lesions on digits and face
• Respiratory / GI signs
• Ocular disease

Question 29

What CS can patients with saprophytic mycobacterial disease present with?

Answer 29

• Mostly cutaneous lesions
• Salt and pepper like lesions
• Draining tracts