Infectious Diseases & Epidemiology

Philadelphia -- An outbreak that killed six dogs, resulting in the quarantine of two Pennsylvania SPCA shelters and a hospital, has been attributed to 'strep zoo,' a bacterial infection.

Philadelphia -- Isolated cases of severe canine illness resulting in six deaths closed two shelters and a hospital run by the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA).

Investigators may never confirm the source of H1N1, but the outbreak lead to more research dollars.

The human nose is too cold for avian flu viruses to flourish.

Fort Collins, Colo. -- The Rocky Mountain Regional Center of Excellence was awarded $36.4 million to continue researching vaccines, tests and treatments for some of the world's most plaguing infectious diseases.

Fort Collins, Colo. -- Colorado State University nailed a $100,000 grant to develop a vaccine system for sand flies to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like leishmaniasis.

National Report -- The latest update on the nationwide outbreak of contagious equine metritis (CEM) that began about five months ago shows 18 stallions in six states and five mares in three states so far confirmed CEM-positive by the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratories.

Blastomycosis is a systemic fungal infection caused by the dimorphic fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis. The infective form of the organism, the mycelial phase, is most likely to be found in sandy, acidic soil near bodies of fresh water.

The World Health Organization will try to shed light on how a new strain of swine influenza developed and is being spread among humans.

Veterinarians have been called on to keep the new swine flu strain out of U.S. swine herds.

Atlanta - The number of confirmed swine flu cases in the United States climbed to 20 as the outbreak continues to take on greater proportions in Mexico.

Reports of outbreaks among humans in in the U.S. and internationally have increased.

Fifteen states will divide $11 million in grants to increase food safety.

Distemper occurs intermittently, especially in shelters located in communities with many unvaccinated dogs, and can appear identical to run-of-the-mill "kennel cough."

Canine parvo and feline panleukopenia are closely related viruses that replicate in rapidly dividing cells.

Animal shelters create a unique environment for the emergence and propagation of infectious diseases.

Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) continues to be a significant disease in domestic cats.

An outbreak of respiratory disease occurred in a kennel of racing greyhounds in 2004.

Parvoviruses remain a significant enteric pathogen of cats and dogs.

Feline herpesvirus is a common pathogen of domestic cats.

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) remains a significant threat to cats.

This flagellated protozoan parasite is found in the gastrointestinal tract of animals including man.

The parvoviruses are small nonenveloped single stranded DNA virus. Three are known to infect dogs.

Cryptococcus neoformans is a saprophytic round yeast-like fungus with the ability to form a heteropolysaccharide capsule in tissues.

In the USA, caused by spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi – it is the most common tick-transmitted zoonotic diseases in North America.

This systemic bacterial infection of dogs (and very rarely, cats) causes mainly acute nephritis and hepatitis, vasculitis, and chronic carrier states.

This disease is caused by the zoonotic hemoflagellate protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi.

Parasites are major causes of respiratory tract disease in the dog and cat. Recent advances in therapy of these diseases have been made providing the practicing veterinarian with a more rational treatment modality.

Filarial nematode infection of dogs and cats – Dirofilaria immitis – adults (female worms up to 30 cm in length) live in pulmonary arteries causing respiratory, cardiac, and in some cases, renal disease.

These tick-borne diseases of dogs and cats cause vasculitis leading to multisystemic dysfunction often characterized by thrombocytopenia and hyperglobulinemia.