Brazil: First case of monkeypox in a dog

America, Animals, Brazil, Dogs, Health, Infection, Monkeypox, Reservoir, Transmission, Zoonosis

The Brazilian Ministry of Health has been notified of the first confirmed case of monkeypox in a domestic animal.

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 instructed that, whenever the owner needed to come into contact with the animal (for food and hygiene of the place), to 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.

Brazilian Ministry of Health report

 

 

Lancet: Evidence of human-to-dog transmission of monkeypox virus

 

 

 

Image by Birgit from Pixabay

** This post was originally published on August 26, 2022 **