Drug-Resistant Superbug Can Jump From Pets To New Yorkers

A superbug that causes hospital-acquired infections is shocking health officials by its new ability to jump from pets to humans.

If you share your home with a dog, cat, or horse, scientists have a warning that is worth paying attention to.

Scientists Warn: Drug-Resistant Superbugs May Be Jumping Between Your Pets And You

black and white cat lying on brown bamboo chair inside room

New research confirms that dangerous, drug-resistant bacteria can pass back and forth between household pets and humans, and that the strains found in companion animals are nearly identical to those found in hospital patients.

The bacterium causing the most alarm is Acinetobacter baumannii, a pathogen the World Health Organization has placed at the top of its watchlist, designating it a Priority 1 critical threat.

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The strains found in pets carry genes that make them resistant to carbapenems, a class of antibiotics doctors use only as a last resort.

Those same resistance genes were not found in wildlife or livestock samples, suggesting the connection between companion animals and humans is uniquely close and uniquely dangerous.

Scientists analyzing the bacteria found that strains isolated from pets were between 99 percent and 99.5 percent genetically identical to strains infecting patients in nearby hospitals. That is not a coincidence.

Humans Can Also Make Pets Sick

yellow Labrador retriever biting yellow tulip flower

This isn't just a case of pets making people sick. Researchers say the transmission runs in both directions.

Humans can pass the bacteria to their pets, and pets can then act as a reservoir, passing it right back through everyday close contact.

Sharing a couch, a bed, or a goodnight kiss with your dog or cat is all it takes.

black dog wearing blue denim collar

In humans, the bacteria can cause severe pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis, and urinary tract infections. In pets, it shows up as respiratory infections, pneumonia, serious eye infections that can threaten vision, and urinary tract complications.

What Pet Owners Should Do

Experts are not saying to panic, and they are not saying to get rid of your pets. But they are saying to tighten up basic hygiene habits.

• Wash your hands with soap and water after handling pets, cleaning up waste, or grooming.
• Cover any open cuts or wounds on yourself and on your pet to prevent direct bacterial exposure.
• Never give your pet antibiotics unless a veterinarian specifically prescribes them, and always complete the full course.

CDC

If your pet is being treated for a persistent infection, hold off on the face kisses and wash their bedding frequently until a vet gives the all-clear.