Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Streptococcus zooepidemicus infection in dogs and what it means
By Mangano, Elli R et al.·Published in Veterinary microbiology·2024·Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Streptococcus zooepidemicus in dogs: Exploring a canine pathogen through multilocus sequence typing.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs in shelters and kennels has been found to be affected by a bacteria called Streptococcus zooepidemicus, which can cause serious illnesses like hemorrhagic pneumonia. This bacteria appears to thrive in crowded and stressful environments, making it a concern for dogs in these settings. Researchers studied different strains of this bacteria and found that some, like ST-173, are particularly virulent and can lead to severe disease. While the study did not find clear links between specific dog breeds or countries and the severity of the disease, it highlighted the need for more research to understand how this bacteria affects dogs and how to prevent outbreaks.
People also search for: dog pneumonia symptoms · Streptococcus zooepidemicus in dogs · kennel cough treatment · dog infection treatment · dog shelter health risks
Abstract
Streptococcus equi. subsp. zooepidemicus (S. zooepidemicus) associated diseases in dogs have emerged as a significant concern over recent decades. S. zooepidemicus occurs sporadically in dog populations globally, with increased prevalence in shelters/kennels. This study used multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of 149 independent canine S. zooepidemicus isolates to assess associations between sequence type and breed, country of origin, disease severity, sampling type, year, and behaviour within an outbreak. No clear associations for breed, country, sampling type and year were determined in this study. ST-10 and 123 strains were present within all disease categories, from no clinical signs to severe disease. Assessment of S. zooepidemicus infection in 3 UK outbreaks at the same location found ST-10, 18, 123 strains, and a ST-173 strain in a US outbreak, were associated with haemorrhagic pneumonia and persisted in kennelled populations over time. The ST-173 clonal complex has been noted to have severe virulence capabilities in dogs and other species. S. zooepidemicus seems to thrive in environments with a high risk of transmissibility, overcrowding, stress and naïve populations, particularly for those in shelters/kennels. MLST alone cannot determine the virulence phenotype of S. zooepidemicus in dogs. However, a level of conservancy and diversity within ST allelic loci aids the opportunity to cause severe disease in dogs. Thus, further research into whole genome sequencing and characterising the virulence factors of S. zooepidemicus is warranted in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38554599/