Update on Brucella canis: Understanding the Past and Preparing for the Future.

The genus Brucella is known by veterinarians as a primary cause of reproductive diseases. It is widely known to cause financial devastation in livestock species, and is lesser known as a problem for dog breeders and fanciers with similar reproductive diseases seen in dogs. Now there are concerns about the dispersal of Brucella canis into countries that have enjoyed a fairly low incidence, through the importation of dogs from endemic countries. B canis, much like Brucella abortus, suis or mellitensis, is zoonotic and handling or working with infected dogs can lead to human disease. Only within the last few decades has the risk of brucellosis in dogs, and the people who own and work with them, been more fully acknowledged. This review will focus on new information that has been obtained since our last B canis article in 2018. Readers are encouraged to look to that article for information not presented within this update. Current B canis epidemiology along with a complete review of diagnostic testing options will be covered. Regulations for the international movement of dogs will be discussed in addition to concerns for increased zoonosis potential. Future goals would include better management of this disease including proposed screening of all imported dogs. Canine brucellosis prevention, owner and shelter/rescue education along with proposed therapies for the future will also be explored.

Canine Brucellosis: Old Foe and Reemerging Scourge.

The genus Brucella is a primary cause of reproductive diseases. Widely known as a problem in livestock, Brucella is gaining notoriety as a cause of canine reproductive disease and as a scourge to dog breeders. Only within the last few decades has the risk of severe brucellosis in dogs, and the people who own and work with them, been more fully appreciated. This review summarizes the epidemiology, clinical signs, and advances in diagnosis and management of Brucella canis. Canine brucellosis prevention, owner education, and possible therapies for the future are also discussed.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in central Iowa wildlife.

Livestock and pets have been identified as carriers of Staphylococcus aureus; however, the role of wild animals as a reservoir of S. aureus strains has not yet been examined. We conducted a pilot study to determine the prevalence of methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in 37 species of wild animals rehabilitated at a university clinic. Nasal, wing, wound, and cloacal swabs were collected. Of 114 animals, seven (6.1%) were MSSA-positive and three (2.6%) were MRSA-positive. The MRSA isolates were obtained from two eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus) and a Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes), a migratory shorebird. Antibiotic resistance testing of the MRSA isolates revealed that two were additionally resistant to tetracycline and erythromycin, and the third isolate was also resistant to erythromycin, clindamycin, and levofloxacin. All three isolates were positive for the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) gene. Sequence typing of the staphylococcal protein A (spa) region revealed one MRSA isolate to be t002, whereas the other two MRSA isolates were found to be t008. Our results suggest that S. aureus, including MRSA, is being carried by wild animals, although at a low prevalence with the limited number of animals tested. Additional studies are needed to determine how this may impact human health.