Spreading Ohio Sickness Linked To Pet Store Puppies

CLEVELAND — At least five Ohio residents have fallen ill from Campylobacter jejuni, which causes food poisoning-like symptoms, after coming into contact with puppies at pet stores, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced. The illness appears to be antibiotic resistant, the CDC warned.

"Epidemiologic and laboratory evidence indicate that contact with puppies, especially those at pet stores, is the likely source of this outbreak," the CDC said in a statement.

Ohio (5 cases) and Minnesota (6 cases) lead the nation in confirmed cases of Campylobacter jejuni. At least 30 people have fallen ill nationwide from the ailment and four people have been hospitalized. The illness appears to be resistant to commonly used medication.

"Campylobacter bacteria isolated from clinical samples from ill people in this outbreak are resistant to commonly recommended, first-line antibiotics," the CDC said. Most patients will recover if they hydrate and replenish their electrolytes.

People infected by Campylobacter bacteria tend to show symptoms within two to five days. Common symptoms include fever, diarrhea and stomach cramps. The diarrhea could be bloody, the CDC said.

Most people infected by the bacteria will recover in about a week, even without antibiotics. The medication is only needed for patients who are already ill or have a weakened immune system.

There was a similar outbreak of antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter jejuni between 2016 and 2018, the CDC said. The bacteria from both outbreaks appears to be genetically related. During that two-year outbreak, Ohio led the nation in confirmed cases of Campylobacter bacteria infections, with 32 reported illnesses. No one died during that outbreak, but 23 people were hospitalized nationwide.

Advice for Pet Owners

Puppies can carry the bacteria while appearing healthy, the CDC said. Pet owners should follow a few simple rules to reduce the possibility of illness:

• Always wash your hands after playing with or petting your dog
• If you don't have soap and water, use hand sanitizer
• Adults should make sure children wash their hand thoroughly
• Don't let dogs lick your mouth or face
• Don't let dogs lick open wounds, like cuts
• Take your dog to the veterinarian regularly to ensure it's healthy

More information on the outbreak can be found on the CDC's website.