1st suspected case of human-to-dog monkeypox transmission reported in France

Scientists say that people with monkeypox may have passed the disease on to their dog.

It is the first time that monkeypox has been seen in a dog and the first time that an animal has been suspected of contracting the disease.

The World Health Organization's lead on monkeypox,Rosamund Lewis, told The Washington Post that this is the first instance of human-to- animal transmission they've learned about. This is new information on many levels. We've been on the lookout for it, and it's not surprising information.

At this point, it's not known if a dog can transmit the monkeypox virus to people. A description of the first-of-its-kind case was published in the journal The Lancet.

CDC warns about Monkeypox presenting with strange symptoms.

Two men were examined at the Pitié-Salptrire Hospital in Paris, France, in June. Men living in the same household are not exclusive partners. After having sex with other people, both developed symptoms of monkeypox.

Since the beginning of the monkeypox outbreak, the majority of infections have been among men who have sex with men, but this doesn't mean that men who have sex with men are at higher risk of contracting the disease. The virus can be caught and spread by anyone.

Monkeypox can be spread from person to person through direct contact with an infectious person's bodily fluids, such as saliva, mucus, and the like. It can happen during sex but also during nonsexual close contact. The virus can be spread through small droplets of saliva and mucus that are expelled from the mouth, and this route of transmission is more likely during face-to-face contact or intimate physical contact.

After the two men contracted monkeypox, their 4-year-old Italian greyhound developed a number of infections on its body, including large blisters on its skin and anal area. The dog tested positive for monkeypox on a diagnostic test and a genetic analysis showed that the same virus that was found in the greyhound was also found in the man.

The patients let the dog sleep in their bed, but after their own monkeypox symptoms emerged, they'd been careful not to let the greyhound interact with any other humans or other animals. After the men's symptoms, the dog's symptoms began.

The researchers said that the symptoms of both patients and their dog suggest human-to-dog transmission of monkeypox virus.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its website to inform the public that dogs can be exposed to monkeypox. Several animals are known to be susceptible to monkeypox, including prairie dogs, squirrel, marmots, chinchillas and giant-pouched rats. It's not known if cats can contract monkeypox, but it's possible that some mice and rabbits can.

The CDC advises people with monkeypox to avoid contact with animals.

If your pet is bitten by a monkey.

• Do not surrender, euthanize or abandon pets just because of a potential exposure or infection.
• Do not wipe or bathe your pet with chemical disinfectants, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or other products, such as hand sanitizer, counter-cleaning wipes or other industrial or surface cleaners.
• If the person with monkeypox did NOT have close contact with pets after symptom onset, ask friends or family members who live in a separate home to be the animal's caretaker until the person with monkeypox fully recovers.
• After the person with monkeypox is recovered, disinfect your home before bringing healthy animals back.

If you want to learn more about how to care for your pet if you have monkeypox or if your pet has been exposed to monkeypox, you can go to the CDC website.

It was originally published on Live Science