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Williams C, Swisher S, Miller N, Pinn-Woodcock T, Austin C, Hsiao SH, Arenas-Gamboa AM, Tiller R, Thacker T, Taetzsch S, Franklin-Guild R, Cutter L, Quance C, Hung CC, Maddox CW, Ernst M, Guarino C, Lanka S, Garcia-Gonzalez DG, Slager S, Sunavala Z, Brown C, Negron M, Pieracci EG. Human exposures to Brucella canis from a pregnant dog during an international flight: Public health risks, diagnostic challenges and future considerations. Zoonoses Public Health 2024. [PMID: 38459616 DOI: 10.1111/zph.13121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
AIMS This report documents the exposure of passengers and crew of a commercial international flight to the zoonotic pathogen Brucella canis after an infected dog aborted in the passenger cabin of the aircraft. This case demonstrates the challenges associated with brucellosis screening and the risks that airline personnel, airport employees and travellers face when animals with unrecognized zoonotic infections are transported. METHODS/RESULTS The public health investigation of this case was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, the Illinois Department of Health and the Illinois Department of Agriculture, in collaboration with a local veterinary clinic and several academic and federal diagnostic laboratories. It included an extensive diagnostic evaluation of the dam and aborted foetuses to confirm a diagnosis of canine brucellosis. Passengers, airline personnel and staff from the veterinary clinic where the dogs were treated underwent risk assessments, and clinic staff also received detailed guidance regarding infection prevention practices. CONCLUSIONS Animal shelters and breeding programs are recommended to screen dogs routinely for brucellosis, but it is not unusual for domestic or imported animals to have unknown health histories, including the dog's brucellosis status, at the time of purchase, adoption, or re-homing. Testing recommendations and requirements vary by state, making it challenging for state public health and animal health agencies to monitor and respond appropriately. This case highlights the importance of Brucella spp. screening in sexually intact dogs prior to breeding, purchase, or domestic or international transportation of the dogs. The transportation of pregnant dogs may present a previously unrecognized public health threat in addition to contributing to unnecessary stress and health risks for pregnant animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara Williams
- Division of Global Migration Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Samantha Swisher
- Division of Global Migration Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Nicholas Miller
- Elk Grove Veterinary Specialty & Emergency, Elk Grove Village, Illinois, USA
| | - Toby Pinn-Woodcock
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Connie Austin
- Illinois Department of Public Health, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - Shih-Hsuan Hsiao
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Angela M Arenas-Gamboa
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Rebekah Tiller
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Tyler Thacker
- Mycobacteria and Brucella Section, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Sara Taetzsch
- Division of Global Migration Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Rebecca Franklin-Guild
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Laurel Cutter
- Division of Global Migration Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Christine Quance
- Mycobacteria and Brucella Section, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, United States Department of Agriculture, Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Chien-Che Hung
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Carol W Maddox
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Mark Ernst
- Illinois Department of Agriculture, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - Cassandra Guarino
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Saraswathi Lanka
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Daniel G Garcia-Gonzalez
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Staci Slager
- Illinois Department of Agriculture, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - Zenia Sunavala
- Division of Global Migration Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Clive Brown
- Division of Global Migration Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Maria Negron
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Emily G Pieracci
- Division of Global Migration Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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