Brazil MOH Reports A Monkeypox Infection In A Companion Animal (Dog)

#16,961

Ten days ago, in WOAH: How Monkeypox Could Spill Back To Animals From Humans, we looked at growing concerns that the Monkeypox virus (MPXV) - now spreading globally in humans - could spill back into companion animals, farmed animals, or even wildlife, in countries where the virus is not currently endemic. 

The process is called reverse-zoonosis, and while it has long been a theoretical concern, two weeks ago The Lancet published what appears to be the first confirmed human-to-dog transmission of the virus in a household setting.

Evidence of human-to-dog transmission of monkeypox virus

The Lancet Published: August 10, 2022
Sophie Seang, Sonia Burrel, Eve Todesco, Valentin Leducq, Gentiane Monsel, Diane Le Pluart, and others

This week Brazil has announced a similar case (see below).  I'll have a bit more after the break.

          (translated)

MONKEYPOX
Ministry of Health is notified of the first case of monkeypox in an animal

In Brazil, until now, there was no documented evidence of transmission of the disease from humans to animals.

 

Posted on 08/24/2022 18:11

The Ministry of Health has been notified of the first confirmed case of monkeypox, also known as monkeypox, in a domestic animal. The case took place in Juiz de Fora/MG. The confirmation was made by the Ezequiel Dias Foundation (FUNED), which notified the Center for Strategic Information on Health Surveillance of Minas Gerais (CIEVS Minas).

It is a 5-month-old puppy that lived in the same environment and had contact with a confirmed human case of the disease. The animal started to show symptoms on August 13, it started with pruritus (itching), with lesions and crusts located on the back and neck.

The Minas Gerais State Health Department instructed the Juiz de Fora Municipal Health Department to isolate the animal and disinfect the site with bleach. It was also advised that whenever the owner needed to come into contact with the animal (for feeding and hygiene of the place), he should use gloves, mask, long-sleeved shirt and pants (skin protection).

In Brazil, until now, there was no documented evidence of transmission of the disease from humans to animals. However, given the latest notifications, this type of transmission is being studied. There are two reports in the world about the infection being acquired through human transmission: in the United States and in France.

prevention and control

People infected with monkeypox should avoid contact with animals, including pets, to prevent the virus from spreading. Transmission usually occurs through close contact with the wounds, body fluids and respiratory droplets of infected people or animals, being possible from the onset of the first symptoms until the scars separate and the skin has fully healed.

If your pet is exposed to monkeypox:

• Do not abandon pets; euthanasia is also not recommended because of potential exposure to the monkeypox virus;

• Do not clean or bathe the pet with chemical disinfectants, such as 70% alcohol, cleaning wipes, industrial or surface products;

• Do not put a mask on the pet;

• Prevent the animal from licking the skin rashes or mucous membranes; use post-operative collar;

• Use running water or saline solution, if available, soaked in gauze to clean the wounds and dry them to avoid infection;

• Do not use treatments, such as medications, without prior consultation with a veterinarian;

• Separate the sick animal from others to minimize direct contact, for at least 21 days after illness or until fully recovered;

• Avoid contact with immunosuppressed people, pregnant women, people with young children present (under 8 years of age), or with a history of atopic dermatitis or eczema, as they may be at increased risk of serious disease outcomes; they must not care for sick animals;

• Clothes from beds, enclosures, food dishes and any other items in direct contact with infected animals must be properly disinfected in advance with bleach for 30 minutes and washed with soap and running water;

• Animal waste must be disposed of in:

o If there is a plumbing system, flush animal waste down the toilet;

o Do not leave or dispose of waste outdoors;

o Use a dedicated, lined trash can for all potentially contaminated waste.

To care for the sick animal, wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as an apron, eyewear, gloves and surgical/N95 masks, if available, or a long-sleeved shirt and pants (skin protection). After caring for the animal, wash your hands. All waste, including medical waste, needs to be disposed of safely and not accessible to rodents and other animals.

If the owner is infected, he should ask friends or family members who live in a separate house to care for the animal until he fully recovers. After the person has recovered, disinfect the home before bringing healthy animals back.

As cases in domestic animals are not yet widely publicized, consult a veterinarian for medication and treatment guidelines.

Notification

Suspected cases of animals exposed to monkeypox should be reported to the Ministry of Health and local Health Departments immediately. The communication channels of the Ministry of Health work uninterruptedly:
• E-mail: notifica@saude.gov.br
• Telephone: 0800.644.66.45

The CDC's web page on Monkeypox infection in animals has a growing list of animals either known - or suspected - to be susceptible to Monkeypox infection.   While this list is currently limited, they warn that `We should assume any mammal can be infected with Monkeypox virus'. 

Monkeypox in Animals
Updated August 17, 2022
 

Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease, meaning that it can spread between animals and people, and is caused by Monkeypox virus, an Orthopoxvirus. While the animal reservoir is unknown, small mammals (e.g. rope and sun squirrels, giant-pouched rats, African dormice) are thought to maintain the virus in the environments of West and Central Africa. People can get infected with the virus through direct contact with infected animals, often while hunting, trapping, and processing infected animals or the infected body parts and fluids of animals. Small mammals can carry the virus, sometimes without apparent symptoms, while non-human primates can get sick with monkeypox and have signs of disease like humans. In 2003, an outbreak of monkeypox in domesticated prairie dogs occurred after they shared bedding and caging with a shipment of infected small mammals from West Africa. This led to 47 human cases in 6 states in the United States. Instances of animal-to-animal and animal-to-person spread, such as the 2003 outbreak, demonstrate the need to reduce the risk of secondary infections to and from animals by isolating infected people as well as exposed and infected animals.

 

What we know about monkeypox in animals

• Monkeypox virus can infect a wide range of mammal species, including monkeys, anteaters, hedgehogs, prairie dogs, squirrels, shrews and dogs.

• There has been a single report of sick people transmitting Monkeypox virus to animals (a dog).

• We are still learning which species of animals can get monkeypox. While we do not know if reptiles, amphibians, or birds can get monkeypox, it is unlikely since these animals have not been found to be infected with other orthopoxviruses.

• Not all animals may have a rash when they have monkeypox.

• Infected animals can spread Monkeypox virus to people, and it is possible that people who are infected can spread Monkeypox virus to animals through close contact, including petting, cuddling, hugging, kissing, licking, sharing sleeping areas, and sharing food.

• Monkeypox virus can be found in the rash caused by monkeypox (scabs, crusts, fluids) and infected bodily fluids, including respiratory secretions, and potentially in urine and feces.

Monkeypox in pets and other animals

We are still learning about which mammals are susceptible to infection. We should assume any mammal can be infected with Monkeypox virus. The table shows which animals can be infected with Monkeypox virus or other closely related orthopoxviruses.

(Continue . . . .)

There are poxviruses in the wild - both in North America and around the world - that occasionally spillover into humans. Fortunately, these viruses appear to have only a limited affinity for human hosts. 

• In 2015, and again in 2021, we saw reports of a novel zoonotic poxvirus emerging in Alaska (see Alaska Reports 3rd & 4th Case of A Novel Zoonotic Orthopoxvirus (Alaskapox) Near Fairbanks).

• Four years ago, in EID Journal: Novel Poxvirus in Proliferative Lesions of Wild Rodents in East-Central Texas, USA we looked at research into a new poxvirus discovered in east-central Texas.

• In 2017, Italian researchers isolated a new pox virus in a cat (see EID Journal Novel Orthopoxvirus and Lethal Disease in Cat, Italy).

• In 2013 two people were found infected with a novel poxvirus in Eastern Europe (and a 3rd from 2010 identified retrospectively) (see NEJM Human Infection with a Zoonotic Orthopoxvirus in the Country of Georgia).

Monkeypox, which has a proven track record of infecting and spreading among humans would likely become much more challenging if should successfully establish itself in a non-human reservoir in North America, or Europe.