Infected with Rare Bacteria Due to Pet Dog
All Limbs Amputated to Save Life
A woman in the United States lost all four limbs due to a rare bacterial infection transmitted by her pet dog.
On the 20th (local time), British media outlet LADbible reported that Marie Trainer, who lives in Ohio, USA, had her limbs amputated after being infected with a rare bacterium called Capnocytophaga canimorsus, which she contracted after being licked by her pet dog. According to the report, Marie experienced symptoms such as back pain and nausea a few days after returning home from vacation. She then suffered from a high fever and was eventually taken to the emergency room.
After being transported, Marie complained of severe pain in her hands and legs for several days and eventually developed breathing difficulties, requiring life support. Medical staff informed her that she was infected with a rare bacterium that attacks blood vessels in the arms, hands, legs, and feet, and that to save her life, all her limbs would need to be amputated.
Investigations revealed that Marie was infected with the bacterium after her pet dog licked her. Doctors stated, "It appears the bacteria entered her body when the dog licked a wound on her hand." This bacterium is found in the saliva of pets such as dogs and cats and, although very rare, can be fatal to humans if it infects a wound. Dr. Azai Seth, who performed the surgery, said, "The process of her hands and feet turning black was progressing rapidly." After undergoing limb amputation surgery, Marie is currently living a normal life using prosthetic arms and legs, the media reported.
Meanwhile, concerns about pets transmitting super bacteria to humans have existed in the past. In 2015, the UK Public Health England (PHE) warned that "pet dogs can transmit E. coli and various super bacteria to humans," urging pet owners to limit the use of antibiotics for their pets. Additionally, at the 2022 European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases held in Lisbon, Portugal, a joint research team from the Royal Veterinary College in the UK and the University of Lisbon in Portugal warned that "intimate behaviors such as pets licking their owners' cheeks or sharing food dishes with pets can spread super bacteria."
Furthermore, last year, a research team led by Dr. Carolin Hackmann at Charite University Hospital in Germany collected fecal samples from 114 healthy study participants and their pets (85 dogs and 18 cats) once a month for four months and analyzed their genes. The results showed that the same bacteria were found in 15 pet owners and 15 pets, and the same super bacteria were detected in half of the infected pets and one-third of the infected owners. The researchers recommended, "To prevent super bacteria infections, behaviors such as sharing dishes with pets should be avoided, and hands must be washed after petting pets or cleaning up their waste."
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