1/5. Implications of presumptive fatal rocky mountain spotted fever in two dogs and their owner.A dog was examined because of petechiation, an inability to stand, pale mucous membranes, a possible seizure, and thrombocytopenia. Tick-borne illness was suspected, but despite treatment, the dog died. Eight days later, a second dog owned by the same individual also died. The dog was not examined by a veterinarian, but rocky mountain spotted fever (RMSF) was suspected on the basis of clinical signs. Two weeks after the second dog died, the owner was examined because of severe headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, lethargy, and a fine rash on the body, face, and trunk. Despite intensive treatment for possible RMSF, the owner died. Although results of an assay for antibodies to rickettsia rickettsii were negative, results of polymerase chain reaction assays of liver, spleen, and kidney samples collected at autopsy were positive for spotted fever group Rickettsia spp. These cases illustrate how dogs may serve as sentinels for RMSF in humans and point out the need for better communication between physicians and veterinarians when cases of potentially zoonotic diseases are seen.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/5. Dysgonic Fermenter-type 2: an emerging zoonosis. Report of two cases and review.We report Dysgonic Fermenter-type 2 septicaemia presenting in two previously healthy individuals, and review 52 cases of infection with Dysgonic Fermenter-type 2 reported in the English language literature. This zoonosis is usually acquired through contact with dogs and cats. infection often presents with little warning to patient or physician and carries a high mortality. The immunosuppressed patient, those without a spleen, alcoholics and those with chronic disease appear to be most susceptible, although the healthy individual is also prone to infection. The infection is probably underdiagnosed due to difficulties in isolating Dysgonic Fermenter-type 2 by conventional blood culture techniques. Clinical and microbiological awareness is of prime importance in the early diagnosis of this potentially lethal infection.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/5. Human toxocariasis. review with report of a probable case.A 23-year-old woman with fever, myalgias, stridor, pelvic cramping, lower abdominal pain, and profound eosinophilia was presumed to have toxocariasis. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay titer of 1:64 and an elevated IgE level supported the diagnosis. The patient became asymptomatic without treatment, and the eosinophil count returned to normal over several months. A stool sample from her dog was found to contain toxocara canis ova, but the patient had no history of geophagia. Presumably, she acquired infection by hand-to-mouth transmission of infectious ova after handling the dog. toxocariasis from this type of transmission is usually not seen in an adult, but it does occur, as this case demonstrates. Thus, the primary care physician should consider toxocariasis in any patient with a suggestive clinical picture and eosinophilia.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/5. brucella canis: an infectious cause of prolonged fever of undetermined origin.We have reported a case documenting the difficulties encountered in diagnosing and treating patients with brucellosis caused by brucella canis, including the nonspecific clinical presentation, low level of intermittent bacteremias, the slow-growing, fastidious nature of the organism, and the lack of antigenic cross-reactivity with the antigens usually used in routine Brucella serology. Further, the predominant southeastern united states epidemiology of this organism and the importance of exposure to dogs are also demonstrated by this report. It is important that physicians caring for patients in this region of the country be aware of the epidemiologic, serologic, and microbiologic pitfalls encountered in diagnosing B canis infections.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/5. Canine blastomycosis as a harbinger of human disease.blastomycosis occurred in six patients in five households. In each instance one or more dogs living with the family or living near the family also developed blastomycosis. The recognition of canine blastomycosis helped in the early diagnosis of human cases. Because both dogs and patients were probably infected at the same place, canine blastomycosis may be an important epidemiologic marker, alerting physicians to the possible presence of concomitant blastomycosis in humans.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physician (Clic here for more details about this article) |