MANHATTAN -- Re-emerging or re-recognized? Only your veterinarian knows for
sure.
While foot and mouth and mad cow diseases have dominated news headlines in
recent months, another disease is raising health concern among owners of
companion animals across the country, according to a Kansas State University
veterinarian.
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that can infect almost any species of
animal -- dogs, horses, cows, pigs, etc. According to Dr. Kenneth Harkin, an
assistant professor of clinical sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine,
the disease is rarely seen in cats. Leptospirosis can cause an array of clinical
signs. The severity of the disease can vary widely; however, leptospirosis has
the potential to be severe and even fatal.
The disease is caused by Leptospirosis spp., a spirochete bacteria related to
the bacteria that causes Lyme disease and syphilis. There are more than 300
pathogenic varieties (serovars), worldwide. Historically, in the United States,
two varieties -- canicola and icterohaemorrhagiae -- were primarily responsible
for the disease in dogs. The incidence of infection from these two has declined
over the past 30 years, most likely due in large measure to vaccination. The
increase in cases most recently has been due primarily to the varieties pomona
and grippotyphosa. Until recently no vaccine for these varieties was available.
Leptospira varieties have what are termed maintenance hosts and incidental
hosts. Maintenance hosts are those animal species which serve as a reservoir for
the Leptospira organism, and in which transmission is very efficient. Incidental
hosts include those species of animals that do not act as reservoirs, but that
can be infected by the organism. The organism replicates in the kidneys of
maintenance hosts and is shed in the urine. In warm damp environments the
organism can survive for months in water or soil. Transmission can occur to the
new host, either maintenance or incidental, by coming in contact with
contaminated water, soil or the carcass of an infected animal.
In dogs, Harkin said there are various symptoms; however, the vast majority of
dogs have a sudden onset of vomiting, which may be proceeded by muscle or joint
pain or stiffness. Pet owners may mistake this early stage as arthritis and
treat the dog with aspirin or another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
A less frequent symptom seen in dogs is excessive thirst and urination. Harkin
said pet owners are at risk because the dog drinks and urinates so much that
they may do so in the house, exposing the owner to the disease.
"There are a few other odd-ball things that can be seen with leptospirosis
such as respiratory compromise and pancreaitis," Harkin said. "But the
most common symptoms are vomiting and those associated with kidney
failure."
If caught early, Harkin said treatment is usually effective and the survival
rate is good. However, time is of the essence.
"If you let it go for three or five days, treat it with the wrong
antibiotic or with inappropriate fluid therapy, it can create irreversible renal
failure," Harkin said.
Humans are also at risk for contracting leptospirosis. Symptoms can be
relatively mild and include flu-like symptoms, ocular pain, redness of the eyes,
nasal discharge, fever, or muscle and joint pain; however, it can progress to
more severe kidney and liver failure. Harkin likens contracting the disease to
being "hit by a truck."
"I've actually talked to people who have said they can remember not just
the day they got sick but probably the hour and the minute," Harkin said.
"It hits you that hard and fast."
According to Harkin, there is a "bit of contention" as to whether the
disease is re-emerging or that veterinarians are recognizing it more.
"I think it might be a combination of both," Harkin said.
"Veterinarians are a little bit more educated about leptospirosis and
making more of an effort to diagnosis it."
Prepared by Keener A. Tippin II. For more information contact Harkin at
785-532-4251.
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