Contact with puppies at six pet store companies in 18 states led to infections that sickened more than 100 people, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The cause of the illness was Campylobacter, an infectious disease that causes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. According to the CDC, Campylobacter causes an estimated 1.3 million diarrheal illnesses in the United States each year.
The majority of cases occur due to eating raw or undercooked poultry, or to eating something that touched the bacteria. But in these cases, health officials found a link between the illnesses and pet store puppies. The findings are published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. From January 2016 through February 2018, 118 people, including 29 pet store employees, were infected. No deaths occurred, but at least 26 people were hospitalized. In total, 105 infected individuals reported dog exposure, including 101 who had contact with a pet store puppy. FULL REPORT
