Anthrax
A. Cause…….bacteria…….Bacillus anthracis
1) produces spores which can live in soil for years
B. Signs…….3 forms:
1) Pulmonary = close to 100 % mortality
a) inhaled spores from sick or dead animal
2) GI = ingested spores from soil, etc.
a) most common way animals (livestock) contract
disease.
b) Eating undercooked meat can be a source.
3) Cutaneous = rare in animals, but most common form in
humans.
4) Mostly find dead livestock as first sign.
C. Diagnosis…….
1) culture….but must be done by only certain
laboratories..
D. Treatment/Prevention……
1) vaccinate in endemic areas
2) antibiotics, but generally too late
3) not contagious from animal to animal
Brucellosis
A. Cause…….bacteria…..Brucella abortus or others
B. Signs…….
1) cattle causes late abortions
2) dogs causes infertility
3) horses causes infection on withers called “fistulous
withers” or “ poll evil “
4) sheep causes epididymititis and orchitis
5) humans causes “ Undulant Fever “
B. Routes of Exposure……
1) shed from uterine discharges
2) passed through milk
3) sexually transmitted
4) direct contact through open wounds
C. Diagnosis……
1) blood tests (agglutination or paired serum titers)
2) BRT (Brucellosis Ring Test) to screen dairy herds
3) Reportable disease due to Zoonotic. Potential.
4) US has active control programs for cattle.
5) Heifers vaccinated and tagged by State Veterinarian.
6) Cows and heifers must be tested before sold or shipped
out of state.
Plague
A. Cause……. Bacteria…..Yersinia pestis
1) fleas are main vector (from rodents)
2) rabbit carcasses are a source to humans
B. Signs…….
1) inhalation
a) acute & fatal
b) or…fever, respiratory signs, cough
2) flea bite
a) LN enlarged and respiratory signs
C. Diagnosis
1) blood culture or LN aspirate
2) antibiotics may help if started early
D. Notes
1) Common in northern Arizona and New Mexico
2) Caution should be used when hunting and “field
Dressing “ rabbits or other game.
Q Fever
A. Cause……rickettsia……Coxiella burnetti
B. Signs….
1) abortions in livestock (cattle, sheep, goats)
a) organisms shed in placenta
2) humans…..signs are flu-like and are usually aerosol
3) extremely infectious air-born
C. Notes….
1) Diagnose with blood test.
2) Some countries outside US do vaccinate.
Salmonella
A. Cause……bacteria (many serotypes)
B. Signs….
1) ingested from contaminated food (chicken, eggs, etc.)
2) vomiting, severe diarrhea
3) can become septicemic and cause death
C. Diagnosis…..
1) culture from feces, food or blood
D. Treatment/Prevention
1) antibiotics
2) supportive care
3) clean environment….spread from feces
4) proper cooking of food
5) vaccine available for some serotypes.
6) Common in reptiles and amphibians…..
a) reason it is illegal to sell small turtles.
b) most amphibians and reptiles are asymptomatic
7) carrier animals exist
Tularemia
A. Cause…..bacteria…..Francisella tularensis
B. Signs…..
1) fever, ADR, enlarged LN, cough
2) flea bites are common cause (carried by rodents)
3) aerosol spread possible
4) bacteria can enter skin or mucus membranes
C. Diagnosis
1) blood test (titers)…IgM and IgG
D. Notes
1) animal reservoirs are rabbits and squirrels
2) not spread from person to person
Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis (BSE)….”Mad Cow Disease”
A. Summary/History
1) Prion disease ( Protein infectious particles)
2) Either inherited or ingested. (fed animal by-products)
3) Similar to CJD in humans (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease)
4) Causes holes in brain.
B. Cause
1) Prions ( proteins “gone wild” with no RNA or DNA)
C. Signs
1) subtle CNS signs (ataxia, etc.) then “crazy”
D. Treatment…..supportive at best.
E. Zoonotic Significance
1) Do not feed animal by-products to livestock.
2) Cook meat before serving it to people or animals.
Tuberculosis
A. Summary
1) A respiratory disease causing granulomas in the lungs
2) 1/3 of the humans in the world have or has had TB.
3) Can be aerosol or pass through milk.
B. Cause
1) Mycobacteria…..several species ( avian, mammal)
2) Very slowing growing
C. Signs
1) Cough, respiratory signs, ADR
D. Diagnosis/Treatment
1) intradermal skin test
a) eyelids in primates
b) caudal fold in hoofstock
c) trunk wash for elephants
E. Prevention
1) Mandatory testing of all dairy animals.
2) Annual testing of all animal workers for TB.
3) Treatment is not that effective and takes months.
Hantavirus
A. Summary
1) Mainly affects humans.
2) Spread by rodents (mainly Deer Mouse)
3) Inhalation of dried rodent feces can be source.
4) Usually not spread people to people.
B. Cause
1) RNA virus
2) Rodent host
C. Signs
1) fever, URI (Upper Respiratory Infection), ADR
2) often fatal
3) Common in northern Arizona and New Mexico.
4) Treatment is supportive is all.
Cat Scratch Fever
A. Summary
1) subclinical infection in cats
2) sore at site of scratch or bite
3) fever, enlarged LN, sores
4) usually self-limiting
B. Cause
1) bacteria….Bartonella
2) domestic cats are primary hosts
3) difficult to confirm with culture
Orf
A. Summary
1) also called “Contagious Ecthyma”, “Scabby Mouth”
2) mainly seen in sheep & goats
3) causes skin lesions in humans via contact
B. Cause
1) orf virus…..parapoxvirus
C. Signs
1) sores around mouth and teats on sheep and goats
2) humans get skin lesions that are difficult to heal
D. Zoonotic notes
1) Always wear gloves around sores.
Scabies
A. Summary
1) Pruritic skin infection that is easily spread by direct
contact.
2) All mammals are susceptible.
3) One form of “mange”.
B. Cause
1) Sarcoptes mite
2) Lives deep in the skin.
3) Diagnose via a skin scraping.
C. Signs
1) pruritis, rash, sores, alopecia
2) often confused with allergies
3) cattle rub off clumps of hair on barbed wire fences
4) common in G.pigs and skin looks like “elephant hide”
D. Treatment
1) topicals, dips
2) ivermectin given systemically
Dermatophytes…”Ringworm”
A. Summary
1) Fungal infection of the skin.
B. Cause
1) most commonly either Microsporum or Trichophyton
species.
2) Attacks hair follicles and causes alopecia.
C. Signs
1) rash, alopecia, circular sore(s)
2) often pruritic
D. Diagnosis
1) signs…..80% will fluoresce or glow under a Wood’s
lamp or black light.
2) Culture….but it may take 2 weeks to grow.
3) Skin scraping and identify the fungal hyphae….but
requires experience.
E. Treatment
1) isolation from others
2) topical anti-fungals
3) dips
4) oral anti-fungal medications
F. Zoonotic notes
1) not lethal, but some animals and humans are very
susceptible…..cats and kids.
Toxoplasmosis
A. Summary
1) cat is the definitive host
2) oocysts pass thru cat feces to humans and other
animals.
3) Subclinical disease in cats.
B. Cause
1) protozoan….ingested by cat
2) passes organism via feces
C. Signs
1) subclinical in most cats
2) can cause spongiform lesions in fetus and some
primates.
D. Diagnosis
1) blood titer in most animals
E. Treatment and Zoonotic notes….
1) no treatment usually necessary in cats.
2) Animals with spongiform lesions may need meds for
several months.
3) Pregnant humans should avoid cat litter boxes.
4) Wallabies are very susceptible to Toxoplasmosis.
Giardia
A. Summary
1) Acute diarrhea with cramps, mucus and maybe blood.
2) Usually contracted from drinking water.
3) Common in pre-school children.
B. Cause
1) protozoan
C. Signs
1) described above….greenish diarrhea.
D. Diagnosis
1) fecal….direct smear (requires experience)
2) new blood test can measure antibody titers
E. Zoonotic notes
1) not lethal, but easily spread through water
2) can pass from animal to humans and vice versa
3) personal hygiene is critical in the control
Cryptosporidiosis
A. Summary
1) parasite causing diarrhea
2) oocysts are ingested
B. Cause
1) Protozoan
C. Signs
1) diarrhea of various degrees
2) can be subclinical in areas where animals/humans are
used to the protozoan
D. Diagnosis
1) fecal….requires expertice
2) blood test (ELISA)
E. Zoonotic notes
1) Any chronic diarrhea needs to be diagnosed so proper
treatment can be instituted.
2) Hygiene and awareness if humans and animals are
visiting other parts of the world.
MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus)
A. Summary
1) A new generation of the Staph bacteria which is
resistant to most antibiotics.
B. Cause
1) Staph aureus bacteria
C. Signs
1) Various….from non-healing wound to septicemia.
D. Diagnosis & Treatment
1) Culture from lesion or blood.
2) Minimal use of antibiotics because of resistance.
E. Zoonotic notes
1) Common around horses…..not known why.
2) Treat any wound around horses as if MRSA was
present….clean it well and watch closely.
Chlamydia….”Parrot Fever” or “Bird Fever”
A. Summary
1) Upper respiratory infection in humans after exposure
to birds.
B. Cause
1) bacteria….Chlamydia psittaci
2) shed via feces
C. Signs
1) Mild flu-like signs to severe pneumonia.
2) Birds are asymptomatic usually.
3) Chlamydia causes a variety of other problems in
different species.
D. Diagnosis
1) fecal culture
E. Treatment
1) Doxycycline for at least 45 days.
2) Major disease to check quarantined birds for.
3) Difficult to control because of pigeons and wild birds.