CAPNOCYTOPHAGA INFECTION

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Disgusting but true! Believe it or not, some ladies buy pet dogs and school them in performing the act of cunnilingus. It is getting commoner these days especially in the south eastern part of Nigeria. There's been series of videos on social media concerning this trend. I was in doubt initially till I watched one of them. These women put themselves at risk of getting a severe infection called capnocytophaga infection. Sexual activity with an animal is called bestiality and it's a crime in most countries. Although it's rare, increase in adoption of this practise could cause a rise in this infection

CASE PRESENTATION

An Ohio lady woke up from a coma of 80 days, she discovered her arms and legs had been amputated, she is a dog lover, owned two dogs, the doctors believed she got infected when the saliva of her dogs came in contact with a cut on her skin. She manifested initially with mild flu like symptoms which progressively worsened rapidly and she was placed in a medically induced coma. She's had 8 surgeries since then and is still undergoing some physical rehabilitation.

INTRODUCTION

It is a normal organism that lives in the mouth of dogs and cats. Not everyone who is infected gets a severe infection though, some don't even manifest at all. It is an opportunistic organism, it causes severe infection when the immune system is down and various factors can dampen the immune system eg poor nutrition, lack of exercise, HIV and cancer etc.. However cases of this infection has also been reported in immunocompetent individuals The organism is virulent when the immune system cannot take it out, meaning that small innoculation by the organism can cause severe infection

MODE OF TRANSMISSION

Contact with saliva of an infected cat or dog Yes you can catch this infection when your dog licks you or the saliva comes in contact with your skin, not to scare dog lovers. I too am an ardent dog lover, My family owns 4 dogs, 2 caucasians, 1 pitbull-rott mixed breed and 1 alsatian It's cute when your dog licks you but you should also be careful as there's a bacteria called capnocytophaga. You can also contract it when a dog or cat bites you

HOW THE INFECTION OCCURS

The organism causes formation of multiple blood clots and restricts blood flow, lack of blood flow causes death of tissues and gangrene which results in generalised sepsis if not taken care of on time.

WHO IS AT RISK

Anyone could be infected but some groups are at increased risk

  1. Dog or cat owners
  2. Zookeepers
  3. People over 40years
  4. People who take alcohol excessively
  5. Immune system has been compromised eg HIV, diabetes, cancer, drugs like steriods
  6. Pregnant women, it can cause infection of the placenta lining called chorioamnionitis

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Manifestations vary depending on the immunity of the individual. One can get infected with this organism and be without symptoms while some others have severe symptoms. Fever Boils and blisters around the affected area The area may be red, swollen and discharging pus Diarrhea and stomach pain Vomiting Headache Joint pain As the disease gets worse, sepsis may occur

TREATMENT

If you have been bitten by a dog or cat, most times we are worried about rabies but capnocytophaga is another worry which a lot of people ignore. The bite area should be right away with soap and water and call your doctor, even if you don’t feel sick. The drug of choice is a penicillin antibiotic depending on the sensitivity testing done This drug prevents the formation of cell wall of the bacteria. Without this cell wall, the bacteria is "naked" and thus easily annihilated. When complications are present, they are treated concomitantly.

PREVENTION

Prevention is always better than cure Avoid pets if you're immunocompromised As much as possible, limit the dogs from getting close to children as their immunity is not well developed Always wash your hands after playing with your dog. Prevent contact of dog saliva with any cut or wounds When a dog bite occurs regardless of the severity, visit the nearest centre Good lifestyle, good nutrition and exercise boosts immunity Bestiality is illegal in a lot of countries, this law should be re-enforced and any culprit put to justice to discourage offenders

COMPLICATIONS

Capnocytophaga infection can cause serious complications like
Gangrene
Myocardial infarction
Kidney failure
Gangrene leading to amputation

REFERENCES

https://www.cdc.gov/capnocytophaga/index.html
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/24/12/17-2060_article
https://www.medicinenet.com/capnocytophaga_canimorsus/article.htm

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6 comments
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Nice work...I just learned of the disease...

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I hope you shared the post on other social media, Twitter especially. I saw it trending a few days ago on the app and I am certain they will benefit from reading this post. Thanks for the education.

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