Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Brucella canis infection rates in shelter dogs in Bogotá Colombia
By Laverde, Astrid-Jullieth et al.·Published in Biomedica : revista del Instituto Nacional de Salud·2021·Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Seroprevalence of Brucella canis in canines from a dog shelter in Bogotá, Colombia.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A three-year-old female dog at a shelter in Bogotá, Colombia, tested positive for Brucella canis, a bacteria that can infect both dogs and humans, but she showed no symptoms. Out of 51 dogs tested, only this one dog had antibodies indicating exposure to the bacteria, and further tests did not find any bacterial DNA in her blood. This low prevalence suggests that while the risk is minimal, there is still a potential for infection in both dogs and people, especially since the dog could be a carrier. It's important for shelters and adopters to be aware of this risk.
People also search for: dog Brucella canis symptoms · can dogs transmit Brucella to humans · dog shelter health risks
Abstract
Introduction: The risk of Brucella canis infection in humans and dogs has increased due to the permanent exposure to asymptomatic carrier dogs. In Colombia, there is evidence of B. canis infection in humans living with dogs. In the case of Bogotá, an additional concern is the lack of updated information related to the prevalence of the infection in dogs. Objective: To determine the seroprevalence of infection by B. canis in dogs intended for adoption programs in Bogotá. Materials and methods: By means of a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out in a dog shelter in Bogotá, anti-B. canis IgG antibodies were detected in the serum from 51 dogs 28 females and 23 males) using a lateral-flow immunochromatographic test. Additionally, seropositive animals were analyzed with PCR to detect Brucella spp DNA. Results: Brucella canis seroprevalence was 1.96% (1/51). The seropositive dog was an asymptomatic three-year-old she-dog in which no bacteria DNA was detected in the blood through PCR. Conclusions: The seroprevalence determined in this study represented by a single dog with anti-B. canis IgG can be considered a potential risk both for canine and human populations since this single dog could have a persistent infection capable of spreading the bacteria.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34214267/