The first possible case of human-to-dog monkeypox transmission, recently reported in a couple and their pet in Paris, had been a theoretical risk until now, said Dr. Rosamund Lewis, technical lead on the monkeypox response. ape for the World Health Organization.
The couple, who live together, were diagnosed with monkeypox at a Paris hospital in early June. Twelve days after the symptoms began, her four-year-old Italian greyhound also began showing symptoms, according to a report published last week in the journal. the lancet.
The dog developed lesions and tested positive for the same type of monkeypox as one of the owners.
According to the report, the couple said they let their dog sleep in the bed with them and had been careful to keep their pet away from other animals or humans since the start of their own symptoms, before the dog’s symptoms began. .
“To our knowledge, the kinetics of symptom onset in both patients, and subsequently in their dog, suggest human-to-dog transmission of monkeypox virus,” the report’s authors wrote. “Given the dog’s skin and mucosal lesions, as well as positive monkeypox virus PCR results from anal and oral swabs, we hypothesized an actual canine disease, not a simple carrier of the virus.” by close contact with humans or airborne transmission (or both).”
The authors suggested the study should prompt discussion about whether pets should be isolated from their owners if they have monkeypox, and called for more research.
NEW INFORMATION, BUT NOT SURPRISING, WHO SAYS
Lewis said that previously, only animal-to-human transmission of the virus had been reported, referring to an outbreak of monkeypox in the US in which people became infected with the virus through prairie dogs such as pets.
“This is the first incident that we are learning about where there is human-to-animal transmission,” Lewis said during a Washington Post live event on Monday. “This has not been reported before, and dogs have not been reported to have been infected before.
“On several levels, this is new information,” he said. “It’s not surprising information, and it’s something we’ve been looking for.”
He noted that within the WHO, experts have been working with partners such as the World Organization for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization to tackle the problem.
“The message that has been given so far is that pets should be isolated from family members who may be infected,” he said. “This has been an example of a precautionary approach, messages of caution, because we didn’t have the information that this had happened before, it hadn’t been reported before, but it was a reasonable and cautious message to give. And now we have the first incident in that this has actually happened.”
Lewis said it’s not clear if the infected dog will be able to transmit the virus to humans. But sometimes, even when they don’t have all the evidence, public health professionals have to find the most helpful messages that allow people to appreciate their level of risk.
“This is an example where most pets are not going to be at risk, it can only be those that are actually in the home of someone who is infected,” he said.
CDC SAYS INFECTED PEOPLE SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM ANIMALS
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated its page on monkeypox in animals to acknowledge that dogs can be infected with the virus.
“We are still learning which species of animals can get monkeypox,” the agency said. “While we don’t know if reptiles, amphibians or birds can get monkeypox, it is unlikely as these animals have not been found to be infected with other orthopoxviruses.”
The CDC also notes that infected animals can spread the virus to people, and it’s “possible that infected people can spread monkeypox virus to animals through close contact, including petting, petting, hugging, kissing.” licking, sharing sleeping areas, and sharing food.”
The agency advises people with monkeypox to avoid contact with animals, including their pets.
Pets that have had close contact with someone with symptoms of monkeypox should be kept indoors and away from other animals and people for 21 days after the most recent contact, the CDC said. Infected people should not go near their exposed pet; they should ask someone else within the house to take care of it if possible.
If the infected person and the pet did not have close contact after symptoms began, the CDC recommends asking someone who lives elsewhere to care for the animal until it fully recovers from the virus.