In 2018, the death of a 58-year-old American woman after being pinched by her puppy made international headlines.
The dog is man’s best friend, but watch out for his saliva. In the United States, a woman died after being bitten by the puppy she had just adopted.
A pinching of the dog that turns into a serious infection
Sharon Larson was from Wisconsin, she had just adopted a puppy. He accidentally pinched her, causing a slight cut on her skin, quickly she felt flu-like symptoms. The doctors gave him antibiotics, but his body did not react to the drugs. She died two days after her injury. Doctors say she was infected with the bacteria Capnocytophaga canimorsus.
Hosted by the oral flora of certain dogs (even those in good health) this germ “is sometimes responsible for very serious human infections when the immune system is failing, explained last May The world. An infection with C. canimorsus is associated with a dog bite in 60% of cases, with licking on a pre-existing skin lesion in about 30% of cases”.
However, humans are rarely infected with this bacterium. Sharon Larson’s husband told US media: “I was told she could have been struck by lightning 4 times and survived, won the lottery twice. That’s how rare that is.”
Other cases in the United States and France
This is the second time this month that the bacteria has infected a human in the United States. In early August, a man had all four of his limbs amputated after being licked by his dog.
Last April, doctors reported in the journal Science Direct “the observation of a 54-year-old patient, with no history, living near a dog, who presented with fatal septic shock with purpura fulminans related to an infection with C. canimorsus, with no obvious notion of biting or ‘licking’ of the wound”. This case recalls “the potential extreme seriousness of rare sepsis due to C. canimorsus and illustrates the fact that this is possible without the context of immunosuppression and without the notion of inoculation”, they wrote.
Last February, The Lancet also related the case of a 47-year-old Frenchman who, bitten by his dog, had suffered similar symptoms. Although the antibiotic treatment prescribed by his doctor did not reduce his fever and he was the victim of several illnesses, the patient was hospitalized at the Intermunicipal hospital center of Fréjus – Saint-Raphaël. Doctors then diagnose the same finger tissue infection as Greg Manteufel. The patient died 48 hours after hospitalization.
People more at risk
Some people are more likely to get sick when they come into contact with the bacteria, such as those with weaker immune systems, alcoholism, cancer, AIDS, or those who are missing a spleen. People affected by one of these situations must imperatively speak to their doctor before adopting an animal in order to measure the risk. In any case, if you are bitten or injured by a dog or a cat, you must clean and disinfect the wound and remain very vigilant in the hours and days that follow. If in doubt, consult a doctor or go to the emergency room.
.
