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Spain, Amid Protests, Kills Dog of Ebola-Infected Nurse Spain, Amid Protests, Kills Dog of Ebola-Infected Nurse
(35 minutes later)
MADRID — A dog named Excalibur who belonged to an Ebola-infected nurse was put down on Wednesday, even as protesters and animal rights activists surrounded the home where the nurse and her husband live. A online petition calling for the dog’s life to be spared had drawn hundreds of thousands of signatures. MADRID — A dog named Excalibur who belonged to an Ebola-infected nurse was put down on Wednesday, even as protesters and animal rights activists surrounded the Madrid home of the nurse and her husband. A online petition calling for the dog’s life to be spared had drawn hundreds of thousands of signatures.
The furor came amid questions about whether dogs can get and transmit the disease.The furor came amid questions about whether dogs can get and transmit the disease.
In the United States, a spokesman for the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Thomas Skinner, said Wednesday that studies had shown that dogs can have an immune response to Ebola, meaning that they can become infected. But he said there have been no reports of dogs or cats developing Ebola symptoms or passing the disease to other animals or to people. In the United States, a spokesman for the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Thomas Skinner, said Wednesday that studies had shown that dogs can have an immune response to Ebola, meaning that they can become infected. But he said there had been no reports of dogs or cats developing Ebola symptoms or passing the disease to other animals or to people.
The death of Excalibur, a 12-year old rescue dog, was confirmed to reporters by Javier Rodríguez, an official from Madrid’s regional government, and the corpse was expected to be cremated. The death of Excalibur, a 12-year-old rescue dog, was confirmed to reporters by Javier Rodríguez, an official from Madrid’s regional government, and the body is expected to be cremated.
The nurse’s husband had pleaded publicly with officials in Madrid to change their minds about putting down the dog. He told the Spanish newspaper El Mundo that there was no indication that Excalibur was infected with Ebola. The nurse has been identified as María Teresa Romero Ramos. The nurse’s husband had pleaded publicly with officials in Madrid to change their minds about putting down the dog. He told the Spanish newspaper El Mundo that there was no indication that Excalibur had been infected with Ebola. The nurse has been identified as María Teresa Romero Ramos.
Mr. Skinner said the disease centers were recommending that Ebola patients with dogs or cats at home “evaluate the animal’s risk of exposure,” meaning they should assess how likely it is that the animal has ingested bodily fluids like blood, vomit and feces from the patient. If the animal has been exposed, it should be monitored for 21 days, the incubation period for the disease.Mr. Skinner said the disease centers were recommending that Ebola patients with dogs or cats at home “evaluate the animal’s risk of exposure,” meaning they should assess how likely it is that the animal has ingested bodily fluids like blood, vomit and feces from the patient. If the animal has been exposed, it should be monitored for 21 days, the incubation period for the disease.
Mr. Skinner said the C.D.C. was working with the American Veterinary Medical Association to study the issue and develop guidance about for pets in the United States. Mr. Skinner said the C.D.C. was working with the American Veterinary Medical Association to study the issue and develop guidance for pets in the United States.
In a 2005 study of dogs in Gabon done after an Ebola outbreak in 2001-2002, researchers found that dogs can be infected with the virus, but that they show no symptoms. In a 2005 study of dogs in Gabon done after an Ebola outbreak in 2001-02, researchers found that dogs can be infected with the virus, but that they show no symptoms.
The study, published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a C.D.C. journal, tested dogs in two villages in the heart of the Ebola outbreak, as well as dogs in a city with some human Ebola cases, dogs in distant villages and a control group of dogs in France. Of 159 dogs tested from the two villages, 40 had Ebola antigens in their blood. This rate was significantly higher than the prevalence of antigens found in dogs in the city with some human cases, three times higher than the dogs several hundred miles from the outbreak, and much higher than the dogs in France. Two out of 102 dogs tested in France had antigens for Ebola.The study, published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a C.D.C. journal, tested dogs in two villages in the heart of the Ebola outbreak, as well as dogs in a city with some human Ebola cases, dogs in distant villages and a control group of dogs in France. Of 159 dogs tested from the two villages, 40 had Ebola antigens in their blood. This rate was significantly higher than the prevalence of antigens found in dogs in the city with some human cases, three times higher than the dogs several hundred miles from the outbreak, and much higher than the dogs in France. Two out of 102 dogs tested in France had antigens for Ebola.
The researchers said the possibility that pet dogs could become infected and transmit the virus to humans could not be ruled out. They noted that pet dogs in Gabon, as in many parts of Africa, probably have greater access to the wild animals that are the source of Ebola infections because African dogs often scavenge for food, eating small animals and organs from carcasses of wild animals killed by hunters, some of which were sources of human Ebola cases in Gabon.The researchers said the possibility that pet dogs could become infected and transmit the virus to humans could not be ruled out. They noted that pet dogs in Gabon, as in many parts of Africa, probably have greater access to the wild animals that are the source of Ebola infections because African dogs often scavenge for food, eating small animals and organs from carcasses of wild animals killed by hunters, some of which were sources of human Ebola cases in Gabon.
“We observed that some dogs ate fresh remains of Ebola virus – infected dead animals brought back to the villages, and that others licked vomit from Ebola virus-infected patients,” the researchers reported. “We observed that some dogs ate fresh remains of Ebola virus — infected dead animals brought back to the villages — and that others licked vomit from Ebola virus-infected patients,” the researchers reported.
None of the dogs in the study showed symptoms, unlike wild animals. In gorillas and chimpanzees, Ebola infection is often lethal, the study said. Still, it is possible that dogs exposed to Ebola could be a potential source of human infection if people come in contact with viral particles in dog urine, feces or saliva through “licking, biting, or grooming,” the study said.None of the dogs in the study showed symptoms, unlike wild animals. In gorillas and chimpanzees, Ebola infection is often lethal, the study said. Still, it is possible that dogs exposed to Ebola could be a potential source of human infection if people come in contact with viral particles in dog urine, feces or saliva through “licking, biting, or grooming,” the study said.
“Given the frequency of contact between humans and domestic dogs," it said, "canine Ebola infection must be considered as a potential risk factor for human infection and virus spread.”“Given the frequency of contact between humans and domestic dogs," it said, "canine Ebola infection must be considered as a potential risk factor for human infection and virus spread.”