Researchers have identified a new type of bacteria belonging to the Rickettsia group, which they have named Rickettsia finnyi, after it caused a previously unknown illness in both dogs and humans. The journal Emerging Infectious Diseases explained that the infection can be transmitted from dogs and other pets to humans via a tick known as the star-nosed tick.
Studies have shown that the bacteria cause symptoms in dogs similar to spotted fever or blue fever, including fever, weakness, and a sharp drop in platelet count. The bacteria were isolated from the blood of a sick dog, cultured in the laboratory, and their complete genetic sequence was analyzed, confirming that they are a completely new species related to the pathogens that cause spotted fever.
Researchers point out that the emergence of Rickettsia finnyi necessitates enhanced veterinary and epidemiological surveillance, as dogs can be an early indicator of infection, and infected animals must be diagnosed and the spread of the tick vector carefully monitored to avoid transmission of the disease to humans.
