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Dog‐Associated Risk Factors for Human Plague
Author(s) -
Hannah Gould L.,
Pape J.,
Ettestad P.,
Griffith K. S.,
Mead P. S.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
zoonoses and public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.87
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1863-2378
pISSN - 1863-1959
DOI - 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2008.01132.x
Subject(s) - plague (disease) , odds ratio , zoonosis , flea , confidence interval , demography , medicine , veterinary medicine , logistic regression , case control study , risk factor , environmental health , pathology , sociology
Summary Plague is a rare but often fatal zoonosis endemic to the western United States. Previous studies have identified contact with pets as a potential risk factor for infection. We conducted a matched case–control study to better define the risks associated with pets at both the household and individual levels. Using a written questionnaire, we surveyed nine surviving plague patients, 12 household members of these patients, and 30 age‐ and neighbourhood‐matched controls about household and individual exposures. Overall, 79% of households had at least one dog, 59% had at least one cat and 33% used flea control, with no significant differences between case and control households. Four (44%) case households reported having a sick dog versus no (0%) control households [matched odds ratio, (mOR) 18.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.3–∞], and four (44%) patients reported sleeping in the same bed with a pet dog versus three (10%) controls (mOR 5.7, 95% CI 1.0–31.6). Within case households with multiple members, two (40%) of five patients slept with their dogs versus none (0%) of 12 healthy family members ( P = 0.13). The exposures to cats were not significant. Sleeping in the same bed as a pet dog remained significantly associated with infection in a multivariate logistic regression model ( P = 0.046). Our findings suggest that dogs may facilitate the transfer of fleas into the home and that activities with close extended contacts with dogs may increase the risk of plague infection.