After a 63-year-old was licked by his dog, the man became ill and died as a result. He was infected with the bacterium Capnocytophaga canimorsus, which is found in dog saliva...

Screenshot by mimikama.org
Screenshot by mimikama.org (Bacteria in dog saliva to blame: man dies after dog smacks)

The fact check

Yes, that can happen. It's very, very, very rare, but it can happen.

In October 2018 we had a similar case on the table. Veterinarian Anke Meeuw explains that the man was infected with a bacterium called Capnocytophaga canimorsus . Interestingly, this bacterium can be found in the mouth and saliva of almost every dog ​​and cat.

Normally the bacterium is harmless to humans, but in very rare cases it can cause a particularly serious form of sepsis (blood poisoning). To do this, it has to get into the bloodstream, and that's what makes the current case so special: no bite wounds were found, nor was the man's immune system weakened. Despite intensive treatment, he died of multi-organ failure. (see European Journal of Case Reports in Internal Medicine )

Details about the bacterium Capnocytophaga canimorsus

An infection with the bacterium Capnocytophaga canimorsus initially presents with flu-like symptoms, accompanied by high fever, shortness of breath and impaired consciousness.

The 63-year-old suffered minor skin bleeding on his face and arms. Doctors diagnosed kidney damage, liver dysfunction and severe blood poisoning. Over the next 30 hours, he suffered cardiac arrest and a splenic infarction, which resulted in severe brain damage.

The man died in hospital after 16 days after his relatives made a joint decision not to continue treatment.

Conclusion

To date, there have been no known cases in which mere licking led to an infection with the bacterium Capnocytophaga canimorsus. Nevertheless, the 63-year-old died as a result of this infection. Even though infection with the bacterium is extremely rare, animal bites should generally not be underestimated. Dog and especially cat bites can become infected very quickly and, in the worst case, lead to the loss of limbs.

Article image: Symbol image photo-oxser / Shutterstock


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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )