The Five Deadliest Zoonotic Diseases And Pathogens

Most veterinary personnel (57.4%) are exposed to pathogens via hand contact—we are touching gross stuff—whereas 21.7% of pathogens exposure occurs orally. Another fun fact? Cats are the most frequently reported source of zoonotic infection among veterinary personnel. 



The most dangerous zoonotic diseases and pathogens are:

1. Tick-borne diseases: Several tick-borne diseases combine for a human mortality rate of 7% to 30%, including Lyme disease, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), and a grab bag of rickettsial diseases that constitute an entire group of uncomfortable possibilities. Except for CCHF, all these zoonoses require a tick bite for transmission. CCHF can be transmitted via tick bite or direct contact with the blood of an infected mammal. Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. The arachnids of interest are Ixodes scapularis (black-legged or deer tick) and Ixodes pacificus (Western black-legged tick). Most infected dogs and cats are asymptomatic, but those that manifest symptoms almost always present with arthritis.
   
2. Leptospirosis: The mortality rate for individuals with leptospirosis—caused by Leptospira interrogans—is 5.72%. In the majority of mammals, its clinical signs are liver or kidney failure. Although most often diagnosed in dogs, leptospirosis can affect cats as well.
3. MRSA: MRSA colonizes animals because it is a human-adapted, gram-positive bacteria found in our skin and nasal passages. MRSA colonization in cats and dogs typically ranges from 0% to 4%; however, rates in specific populations can be higher (7%-9%).
4. Parasitic pathogens: Baylisascaris procyonis (the raccoon roundworm) and Toxoplasma gondii are nasty bugs with a mortality rate of up to 40% in humans. The primary definitive host of B. procyonis is the raccoon. A couple of things to remember are that roundworm eggs take 2 to 4 weeks to become infected once passed out in raccoon feces and that dogs do not just ingest fecal matter; they roll in it. Because B. procyonis eggs are pretty sticky, they can get stuck in pet fur, enter the house at night, and jump into bed.
5. Avian influenza A virus: Highly pathogenic A (H5N1) avian influenza has a mortality rate of 53% to 56% in humans. Dabbling ducks are the origin of all influenzas; thus, all are zoonotic. Since the early 2000s, when canine flu emerged, veterinarians have joined the frontlines of influenza detection. Although no cases of dog-to-human transmission have been documented, cat-to-human transmission has occurred in close-contact, high-exposure environments like shelters.

Risk of Exposure to Vector-Borne Pathogens: Lyme disease Forecast

The tick vector (Ixodes scapularis) of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) continues to expand its geographic range. These ticks (called deer ticks) also transmit other important agents such as Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia spp., Borrelia miyamotoi, Ehrlichia muris eauclarensis, and possibly Bartonella spp. 



Ongoing research is increasing the spectrum of disease agents transmitted by deer ticks.

• The geographic prevalence of Lyme disease continues to expand southward and westward.
• We expect increases beyond last year's forecasts in eastern Kentucky, northeastern Tennessee, western Michigan, and Ohio. High-risk "hot spots" are again predicted in northern and western Lower Michigan and southern and northeastern Ohio.
• High risks of Lyme disease persist in all portions of the Northeast, the upper mid-western states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the upper peninsula of Michigan. A higher-than-normal risk continues in North Dakota, northeastern South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, and eastern Kentucky.
• The southward movement of Borrelia burgdorferi is also evident in the increasing risk in the Carolinas and Tennessee. Higher risk areas in east central South Carolina and most coastal North Carolina appear for the first time in the 2022 forecast. These emerging threats validate and emphasize our reminders that pets and pet owners do not have to travel to the traditional endemic areas of the Northeast to encounter substantial Lyme disease risks.

Veterinarians in historically high prevalence regions and forecasted regions of increased risk should reinforce their recommendations of aggressive tick control. Keep in mind that the potential spread of Lyme Borreliosis can occur anywhere the tick vector is present. Always consider vaccinating high-risk patients. Annual testing can aid in assessing risk for dogs in hyper-endemic areas.

Bioguard has designed and manufactured a sandwich lateral flow immunochromatographic assay to detect Borrelia burgdorferiantibody quickly and correctly in the infected dog's blood. The rapid test is a 4-in-1 combo kit with other prevalent canine diarrheal pathogens.



The 4-in1 combo test (VLabs 4X) developed by Bioguard can detect the following:

• Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies (for Lyme Disease),
• Dirofilaria immitis antigen ( for Canine Heartworm Disease),
• Anaplasma phagocytophilum/platys antibodies (for Anaplasmosis),
• Ehrlichiosis canis antibodies (for Canine Ehrlichiosis)