Man Dies From Rare Infection After Dog Licks Wound — Coroner Issues Warning
It is easy to dismiss the moment a dog licks an open wound as a harmless sign of affection. Dogs are beloved companions, and the idea that their saliva could cause a life-threatening infection feels remote — something that happens to other people, in other circumstances. But the coroner's warning issued after the death of a man in his 60s from a rare bacterial infection contracted precisely this way has forced a harder look at a pathogen that most people have never heard of. Capnocytophaga canimorsus is not new, but the frequency with which it is misdiagnosed, and the speed with which it can overwhelm an apparently healthy person, make it worth understanding. What Is Capnocytophaga Canimorsus? Capnocytophaga canimorsus is a gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that lives naturally in the mouths of dogs and cats. It is found in approximately 74% of dogs and 57% of cats as normal oral flora — meaning the vast majority of animals carry it without any sign of illness. For the animal...