Capnocytophagais a genus of nine species of bacteria found in human and animal mouths and gums, all of which cause human infection.Capnocytophaga ochracea,gingivalis, andsputigenaexist in humans and can cause pharyngeal and respiratory infections from the person's own flora. Typically, these bacteria do not cause disease except as an opportunistic infection in people with impaired immune defenses.Capnocytophaga canimorsuscommonly lives in the mouths ofdogsand cats without making them sick.
Capnocytophagais a thin Gram-negative bacillus that is difficult to grow in routine laboratory cultures. It is able to evade the immune system by a variety of virulence factors, including production of cell-killing toxin (cytotoxin) and resistance to killing by complement. It also causes blockages of small blood vessels (micro-emboli) that lead to a characteristicrash, organ failure, and tissue death (necrosis) organgrene. The spleen plays an important role in defense against this bacterium.
Symptoms can develop anywhere from 1 to 14 days after exposure in vulnerable people. Symptoms and signs can include
Other associated symptoms can include
Capnocytophaga canimorsusis notcontagiousfrom person to person. It iscontagiousfrom animals to people (zoonosis) and spreads by lick, scratch, bite, or other close contact, usually from a dog or cat.
Capnocytophaga canimorsusinfections usually cause symptoms and signs within 3 to 8 days after a lick or bite from a cat or dog, but the incubation period may be as short as 1 day or up to 2 weeks.
Symptoms and signs ofCapnocytophaga canimorsusinfections may occur suddenly and without evidence of an infected bite. Symptoms and signs include
Redness, warmth, andpainmay or may not occur at the site of a bite or scratch. When infection does occur, it may occur withpainat the bitewoundandblistersand draining pus may form around thewoundwithin hours of the bite.
As the disease progresses or becomes more severe, signs ofsepsisor septicshockmay occur, including
Doctors diagnoseCapnocytophaga canimorsusby detecting it in the blood by growing the bacterium in cultures performed in a microbiology laboratory. Blood cultures may detect most bacteria ("become positive") within 1 to 2 days of incubating the blood in the lab. However,Capnocytophagatends to require specific nutrients and grows slowly, so diagnosis may be delayed. At this point, a Gram stain of the culture will identify a "Gram negative bacillus"; another day may be required to fully identify the species and provide information about the antibiotics that may or may not kill it.
通常有一个专家团队招募care for a patient withCapnocytophagainfection, depending on progression of disease. This may include anemergency medicinespecialist, pediatrician, hospitalist, surgeon, infectious disease specialist, pulmonary and critical care specialist, and kidney specialist.
Depending on severity and progression of disease, treatment includes intravenous antibiotics, intravenous fluids, and medications to raiselow blood pressure. Respiratory failure may require non-invasive support such as positiveairwaypressure or insertion of abreathing tubeto fully supportbreathingvia a mechanical ventilator.Kidney failurerequires cleaning of toxins from the blood viadialysisor other methods. Gangrene may require cutting away of dead tissue (debridement) or amputation to control life-threatening infection.
Complications include long-term disability from lung, kidney, brain or other organ damage, loss of body parts from gangrene, and death.
More Health News »Aspregnancyadvances, the mother's immune system becomes mildly but progressively weaker. This prevents the mother's body from rejecting the developing fetus as a "foreign body." However, this also puts mother and fetus at mild increased risk of some infections, especially if she is diabetic.
Capnocytophaga canimorsuscan cause infection of the placenta and birth sac (chorioamnionitis). This can cause premature delivery, fetal death, low birth weight, or life-threatening infection (sepsis) in thenewborn.
The prognosis of these infections often depends on how soon treatment starts. Many people underestimate the seriousness of their condition (especially if there are no signs ofskin infection) and are not aware of their risk. Often people do not seek care until later into the illness. Prognosis for recovery also depends greatly on how impaired the immune function is. Antibiotics cannot sterilize all infection in the body. Some of the recovery requires the individual's immune defenses to fight the remaining bacteria.
Some infections can progress to death within days, so it is important to seek care immediately if a dog or cat bites you.
The overall mortality rate ofCapnocytophaga canimorsusis approximately 30%, higher in those withseptic shockand without a spleen.
Currently, there is no commercially availablevaccineforCapnocytophagainfections.
The only way to completely avoidCapnocytophaga canimorsusinfections is to completely avoid contact with pets. However, pets play a life-enriching role for many people, and this may be very difficult. Thus, it is more helpful to try to avoid frequent contact with pets during periods of impaired immune function. This may include limitingsleepwith your pet or boisterous play that may lead to a scratch or bite. It is most important to avoid contact of pet saliva with intact or broken skin (especially wounds) and mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth). Promptly wash all skin with soap and water after being in contact with pets and items that may be soiled with pet saliva.
It is a myth that antibodies in saliva are especially therapeutic or protective against infections. Pets should never be allowed to lick wounds or a young baby's face.
It is important to talk to your doctor about how long your immune system will be impaired and what you should do.
No matter how healthy you are, you should always wash animal bites thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention. Aside fromCapnocytophaga, animal bites may causetetanus,rabies, and serious infections due toStaphylococcus aureus(including methicillin-resistantStaphylococcusaureusorMRSA),Streptococcus, andPasteurella multocida. Medical evaluation can determine whether you need avaccine. A doctor may prescribe antibiotics to prevent the above infections.
Health SolutionsFrom Our Sponsors
Symptoms include yellowing of the skin (jaundice), itching, and fatigue.
The prognosis is good for some people with cirrhosis of the liver, and the survival can be up to 12 years; however the life expectancy is about 6 months to 2 years for people with severe cirrhosis with major complications.
Headaches can be divided into two categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Migraine headaches, tension headaches, and cluster headaches are considered primary headaches. Secondary headaches are caused by disease. Headache symptoms vary with the headache type. Over-the-counter pain relievers provide short-term relief for most headaches.
Kidney failure can occur from an acute event or a chronic condition or disease. Prerenal kidney failure is caused by blood loss, dehydration, or medication. Some of the renal causes of kidney failure include sepsis, medications, rhabdomyolysis, multiple myeloma, and acute glomerulonephritis.
Post renal causes of kidney failure include bladder obstruction, prostate problems, tumors, or kidney stones.Treatment options included diet, medications, or dialysis.
Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. There are numerous cases of nausea and vomiting. Some causes may not require medical treatment, for example, motion sickness, and other causes may require medical treatment by a doctor, for example, heart attack, lung infections, bronchitis, and pneumonia.
Some causes of nausea and vomiting may be life-threatening, for example, heart attack, abdominal obstruction, and cancers.
Treatment of nausea and vomiting depends upon the cause.
