Researchers raise alarm after discovering new type of bacteria killing dogs in US: 'Host cells'

Researchers have identified a new species of Rickettsia bacteria, which are responsible for causing types of spotted fever, as explained in Medical Microbiology. According to ScienceAlert, the new species has already caused the death of several dogs within the United States, and it may potentially spread to humans. 

What's happening?

Spotted fevers — including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, found widely in the U.S. — are deadly bacterial diseases commonly transmitted through the bite of an infected tick. RMSF can be spread by the American dog tick, the Brown dog tick, and the Rocky Mountain wood tick, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In its early days following an infected bite, the disease can present with symptoms common to most illnesses, including fever, nausea, headache, rash, muscle pain, and more. However, prolonged symptoms without treatment can become life-threatening. 

Three dogs fell clinically ill with a spotted fever in 2020, according to a study recently published by the CDC. They had symptoms similar to those of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Scientists at North Carolina State University (NCSU) studied the infected canine blood by sequencing entire genomes. They found a distinct circular chromosome that differentiated a pathogen enough to warrant its own species type, named Rickettsia finnyi, named after the dog, Finny, whose blood the scientists found the new bacterial species in. 

Lab experiments have shown that the bacterium can survive "in mammalian host cells" for over 104 days, according to ScienceAlert. 

"While we haven't been able to confirm which tick species transmit it yet, we think it may be associated with the lone star tick," Barbara Qurollo, a veterinary research professor at NCSU, explained, per ScienceAlert. 

Why is a new pathogen important?

This new pathogen, carried by infected ticks, represents a serious public health risk as pathogen-carrying ticks may spread from an infected host to a potential new host undetected. This makes it hard to catch and limit the spread of spotted fevers — potentially life-threatening diseases — and makes it difficult to treat infected individuals before the disease progresses. 

Increasingly warm weather, caused by heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere from pollution, can accelerate the tick life cycle and also prolong their active season, elevating the potential for interactions between ticks and humans or wildlife — as has been noted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  

How can I protect myself from pathogen-carrying ticks?

Scientists call for increased vigilance, as humans and dogs are opportune hosts for spotted fever-carrying ticks — especially when entering spaces where these ticks may be present. So far, there are no approved vaccines to prevent this new strain of spotted fever — or Rocky Mountain spotted fever, per the CDC.

You can take measures to protect yourself and loved ones by educating family and friends about the elevated risks of spending time outdoors where infected ticks may live. Use precaution, including tick repellents approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, and perform regular checks on your body and your pets, especially after spending time outdoors.

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