Pet Store Puppies Linked To Drug-Resistant Infection In Georgia

GEORGIA — Health officials are warning the public to be careful about allowing dogs from pet stores to lick their hands after 30 people have become ill with a drug-resistant infection.

The CDC and public health officials in several states are investigating a multi-state outbreak of multidrug-resistant human Campylobacter jejuni infections linked to contact with puppies from pet stores, the CDC said Tuesday.

"Campylobacter bacteria isolated from clinical samples from ill people in this outbreak are resistant to commonly recommended, first-line antibiotics," the CDC said.

As of Tuesday, a total of 30 people infected with Campylobacter have been reported from 13 states, including one in Georgia.

Lab evidence suggests that the bacteria in this outbreak are genetically related to bacteria in a 2016–2018 outbreak in which puppies purchased from Petland stores were linked to drug-resistant infections.

Four hospitalizations have been reported in the latest outbreak, and no deaths have occurred.

Illnesses started on dates ranging from Jan. 6 through Nov. 10. Sick people range in age from 8 months to 70 years.

Epidemiologic and laboratory evidence indicate that puppies purchased from pet stores are the likely source of this outbreak. Many of the cases had contact with puppies or were employees at pet stores, including Petland.

CDC included ill people in this outbreak if:

• their stool sample grew Campylobacter jejuni in the laboratory (called a culture-confirmed infection) and they also had a link to puppies, or
• they had a culture-confirmed Campylobacter jejuni infection that was closely related genetically to a confirmed puppy-linked case by WGS

In interviews, ill people answered questions about dog, puppy, and other exposures they had in the week before they became ill. Of 24 people interviewed, 21 (88 percent) reported contact with a puppy in the week before illness started, and 15 (71 percent) of those 21 people reported contact with a puppy from a pet store. When asked about the specific pet store, 12 (80 percent) of those 15 people reported either having contact with a puppy or working at a Petland store.

Investigators reported eight more ill people who had contact with a puppy at Petland and had a diagnostic test showing they were infected with Campylobacter bacteria. However, the CDC did not include these people in the outbreak case count because no bacterial samples were available for WGS. Public health investigators use WGS to identify illnesses that are part of multi-state outbreaks.

A single, common supplier of puppies has not been identified.

"Petland takes the health and welfare of our employees, our customers and our pets very seriously," the company said in a statement to Patch.

"Since an earlier outbreak in 2016, in which no specific source of infection was identified, Petland has implemented all recommended protocols from federal and state animal and public health officials to prevent human and puppy illness."

"The CDC did not have any direct recommendations today regarding steps to keep puppies from exposure to this bacteria and recommended that Petland seek assistance from animal health officials," Petland added. "Therefore, Petland urges state and federal animal health officials and veterinary experts to determine protocols aimed at finding the source of infection, establishing a case definition for puppies, and recommending valid testing procedures and treatment options for puppies that test positive, including those that are asymptomatic."

The CDC has provided the following advice for pet owners:

• Adults should supervise hand-washing for young children.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use hand sanitizer until you are able to wash your hands with soap and water.
• Wash your hands after cleaning up urine, feces or vomit from your puppy or dog. Clean up any urine, feces or vomit inside the house immediately. Then disinfect the area using a solution of water and bleach.
• Don't let dogs lick around your mouth and face.
• Don't let dogs lick your open wound or areas with broken skin.
• Take your dog to the veterinarian regularly to keep it healthy and to help prevent the spread of disease.