The case against pet ownership
No, Humans Can't Get Parvovirus From Dogs
Humans can get parvovirus, but it's a different strain than the one that infects dogs. People can't get parvovirus from their pets or vice versa.
Parvovirus is a highly contagious disease that affects dogs and other canines. If left untreated, it can lead to septic shock or death. Symptoms include vomiting, loss of appetite and lethargy.
Google Trends show people are searching for information about a parvovirus infection spreading among humans. Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a health advisory about an increase in cases of parvovirus B19 in the U.S.
Multiple people on X responded to the news wondering how humans can get the parvovirus known to infect dogs. One person wrote, "I thought only Dogs got Parvo virus, it must have made the jump to humans."
THE QUESTION
Can humans get parvovirus from dogs?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
No, humans cannot get parvovirus from dogs. The parvovirus strain known to infect dogs and other animals is not the same one that infects humans.
WHAT WE FOUND
Humans can get parvovirus, but it's not the same strain that infects dogs and other animals. People cannot get parvovirus from their pets, nor can they give their pets the virus, the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic explain.
Canine parvovirus is caused by canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) and "attacks white blood cells and the gastrointestinal tract of dogs and other canids like coyotes, wolves and foxes," the American Veterinary Medical Association says.
Canine parvovirus is typically spread through direct contact with an infected dog, its feces or a contaminated surface, the AVMA adds.
The parvovirus that infects humans is parvovirus B19. This version of the virus can be spread "through airborne droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes" or "through blood or contaminated blood products," Cleveland Clinic says.
Parvovirus B19 most commonly impacts elementary school-aged children, according to Mayo Clinic. It's usually asymptomatic or mild. But people who are pregnant, have a weakened immune system or have certain blood disorders are more susceptible to complications, like severe anemia, Mayo Clinic says.
Symptoms of a parvovirus B19 infection can include headaches, low-grade fever and upset stomach. In children, parvovirus can also cause fifth disease, which results in a pink or red rash on the cheeks. This typically appears four to 14 days after infection and can last for several weeks, Cleveland Clinic says. People are no longer contagious once a rash appears.
Parvovirus typically goes away on its own without any treatment. The Cleveland Clinic recommends drinking fluids, resting and treating any headaches or pain with acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine, like ibuprofen, if necessary.
While there is no vaccine for parvovirus B19, someone who is infected with the virus will have lifelong immunity, the Mayo Clinic says.
The CDC recommends those with preexisting conditions, such as people who are pregnant or immunocompromised, seek medical care if they suspect they have been exposed to the virus and use preventative measures, like wearing a mask when around other people.
This story is also available in Spanish / Lee este artículo también en español: No, los humanos no pueden contagiarse de parvovirus a través de perros
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Padraig Harrington Left Heartbroken As PGA Tour Legend Mourns Death Of Beloved Family Dog Wilson
GOLF legend Padraig Harrington and his family have been left devastated after the death of their dog Wilson.
The three-time major winner took to social media as he shared the sad news about their pet.
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Padraig Harrington's dog Wilson sadly died after a battle against sepsisCredit: x - @padraig_h
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Padraig Harrington with his dogs Wilson and Setanta on the 10th hole during the Pro-Am prior to the Horizon Irish Open at The K Club last year
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The golf icon posted a touching tribute to the family pet that they had for five yearsCredit: x - @padraig_hWilson had become somewhat of a social media star over the years as the golf icon frequently posted snaps alongside the Bernese Mountain dog.
His faithful friend was named after his longtime sponsor, Wilson Staff.
The Stackstown Golf Club icon also has another Bernese Mountain dog called Setanta.
Wilson was particularly fond of heading to a local Rathfarnham coffee shop with the Dubliner.
52-year old Harrington expressed his sadness as he took to social media to pay tribute to the family pet of five years.
He revealed that the dog had been fighting sepsis, which is a blood infection.
Sepsis is a life-threatening medical condition that arises when the body's response to an infection causes widespread inflammation, leading to tissue damage and potential organ failure.
The 2024 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee posted the touching tribute earlier this afternoon.
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ROR OF THE ENGINE
McIlroy's car collection includes a a £271k Lamborghini and two FerrarisA post on X read: "A sad day for my family and I today, as we lost Wilson after a week of fighting sepsis.
Shane Lowry left speechless after losing bet to Padraig Harrington with 'credit card roulette' consequences"We had a great 5 years together and we will always remember the good times he gave us."
Earlier this year, the golf icon followed in the footsteps of amateur legend Joe Carr (2007) and Ryder Cup legend Christy O'Connor Snr (2009).
51-year-old Stackstown Golf Club legend joined the late Tom Weiskopf, Sandra Palmer, Beverly Hanson, Johnny Farrell and the seven remaining co-founders of the LPGA not already in the Hall of Fame: Alice Bauer, Bettye Danoff, Helen Detweiler, Helen Hicks, Opal Hill, Shirley Spork and Sally Sessions.
The six-time Ryder Cup player was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame 'Class of 2024' in conjunction with the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in June.
GOALS LIVE! WIN IRELAND V ENGLAND TICKETS
FOOTBALL legends Tony Cascarino, Stuart Pearce, Andy Reid and NeilO'Riordan will join The Irish Sun's first live football preview event on Tuesday September 3 ahead of the Republic of Ireland v England match in The Aviva that weekend.
Goals Live 2024, in association with TonyBet and hosted by well-known sports commentator Dave McIntyre, promises to be an evening of entertainment, discussion, analysis and lively debate as thepanel delves into the upcoming big match between football rivals the Republic of Ireland and England.
The event, which is for over 18s only, will take place in The Camden, Dublin 2, from 6.15pm – 9pm.
The ticket includes a complimentary drink for attendees and each ticketholder will be entered into a draw for a chance to win a pair of match tickets to the big game in the Aviva on Saturday September 7.
Tickets are just €5 and available to purchase HERE.
Sepsis Is Deadly And Notoriously Difficult To Diagnose. This New Tool Deployed At Lourdes May Help
She didn't know it yet, but when Kathryn Duncan's husband was admitted into Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center on March 26, 1998, their family's life would change forever.
Shea Duncan, who was 38 years old at the time, had been in great health when suddenly, he wasn't feeling well. Their family doctor thought he had the flu and sent him home with antibiotics. Two weeks later, Duncan's condition worsened. At one point, every inch of his body was so painful to the touch, he couldn't even bear the feeling of the bedsheets on him.
Duncan, who worked in construction and owned his own trucking company, had contracted a staph infection — likely during his work on construction sites — that had developed into sepsis, an overreaction of the immune system to an infection or injury that damages the body's tissue and organs. This episode set off a series of surgeries from which he would never fully recover.
Read more: Could you save a life? Learning CPR is crucial, Louisiana first responders say.
Sepsis is notoriously difficult to diagnose, especially in an emergency setting, but with the help of a new diagnostic tool, doctors at Lourdes say they can now detect it within about 10 minutes — and save lives as a result.
"The difficulty with sepsis is that the presentation often has a variety of different characteristics," said Dr. Chad Vincent, a hospital-based internist at Lourdes. "Often their symptoms change rapidly over a short period of time, and in busy emergency departments, time is always of the essence."
The new diagnostic tool, IntelliSep, allows for the rapid testing of a standard blood sample and analyzes the white blood cell response, which in turn allows doctors to make a diagnosis more quickly than traditional methods.
James Teague, Sr. Director core laboratory with Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, demonstrates the use of the IntelliSep technology at Our Lady of the Lake hospital in Baton Rouge, La., on April 29, 2024.
STAFF PHOTO BY ALENA MASCHKEIn Duncan's case, staff at the hospital performed a spinal tap, which they told his wife would take five days to analyze. It was when Kathryn Duncan noticed unusual spots on his hands and feet that she asked for an infectious disease doctor to take a look, who discovered the staph infection and sepsis. Had they waited for the results of the spinal tap, the doctor told her, her husband wouldn't have survived.
Shea Duncan, while surviving that terrifying day, battled the long-term effects of the surgeries that followed for nearly two decades and eventually died at age 58.
"This was the downfall, not being able to catch this early enough," Kathryn Duncan said. "Had they had that technology back then, we'd probably still have Shae today."
While other potentially fatal health issues can be identified more easily — heart problems can be detected using an EKG, stroke symptoms with the help of a CT scan or MRI — no comparable technology has existed for sepsis, Vincent points out.
"It's been kind of a void in terms of tools and diagnosing sepsis," he said.
Out of 1.7 million patients diagnosed with sepsis annually, 270,000 die. This doesn't include cases like Duncan's, in which a patient suffers long-term health effects leading to an untimely death.
"It's the leading cause of death in the hospital," Vincent said.
Tina Iyasere, medical laboratory supervisor with Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, demonstrates the use of the IntelliSep technology at Our Lady of the Lake hospital in Baton Rouge, La., on April 29, 2024.
STAFF PHOTO BY ALENA MASCHKEFor many vulnerable patients, it can be what pushes them beyond the possibility of healing. Samantha Singletary, a hospice nurse, said many of her patients come from long-term care facilities or hospitals and end up in her care because sepsis pushed them over the brink.
Urinary tract infections or pneumonia are often the root cause and if identified too late can lead to sepsis that is too much for an already elderly or sick patient to handle.
"It takes a little while to figure out why grandma is confused," Singletary said. "So they usually go when they're in dire straits and needed intervention yesterday, so it's hard to bring them back out of that."
Louisiana State University and Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System were among just a handful of universities and hospital systems in the country to pilot the new technology. After a successful year at Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge, it is now being deployed in Lafayette.
Vincent estimates that in the three weeks since it has been deployed, hundreds of patients' samples have been tested. Based on the data collected in the pilot program in Baton Rouge, Lourdes anticipates that the new technology will save one life for every 500 high-risk patients. Based on the throughput of emergency departments, this could mean one life saved about every two weeks.
Although the technology is still very new in Lafayette, Vincent said he's already seen its impacts. "We're already starting to see practice patterns change, where we find that IntelliSeps is allowing us to initiate that early, aggressive treatment that's so vital in making sure that people are protected from the complications of sepsis," Vincent said.
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