Page 964 - Clinical Small Animal Internal Medicine

902 Section 9 Infectious Disease

At the time of this writing, whether Ebola can cause ELISA, immunohistochemistry, and RT PCR. RT PCR is
VetBooks.ir viremia and be shed by or cause clinical signs in dogs and used in the emergent clinical setting. Detection of IgM
antibody or demonstration of seroconversion can facili-
cats is not known. As a precautionary measure, during
the 2014 Ebola outbreak, a healthy dog owned by an
infected Spanish nurse was euthanized by officials with- tate diagnosis of acute infection.
out testing. Global public outcry was significant given
that it had not been shown that dogs can be infected with Therapy
or shed the virus and that the risk was unknown. A call
for testing and not automatic euthanasia was made by Treatment of infection in people is primarily supportive.
the World Small Animal Veterinary Association. Shortly Experimental therapies that appear to hold promise were
thereafter, a dog owned by an infected nurse in Texas utilized in some cases in the 2014 outbreak. Vaccines are
was quarantined and tested rather than euthanized. in development.
Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT
PCR) testing of blood, urine, and feces was negative, and
the dog showed no evidence of illness during the 21‐day Prognosis
quarantine.
The mortality rate in people and nonhuman primates is
high. Prompt and adequate supportive care appears to be
Clinical Signs important for survival.

Ebola causes severe disease in humans and nonhuman
primates. Whether the virus causes clinical signs in dogs Public Health Implications
and cats is not yet known. In people, flu‐like symptoms
occur, including fever, headache, and muscle pain. In the fall of 2014, the AVMA Ebola Companion Animal
Gastrointestinal signs also occur. Dramatic signs of Response Plan Working Group developed recommenda-
disordered hemostasis such as maculopapular rash, pete- tions regarding dog and cat quarantine after exposure to
chiae, conjunctival hemorrhage, epistaxis, and hematem- a human with confirmed Ebola virus disease. These rec-
esis are common. Encephalopathy also occurs. ommendations are available at www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/
pdf/dog‐cat‐quarantine.pdf. Public health officials and
state veterinarians should be contacted immediately on
Diagnosis an emergency basis if a pet is exposed to a person with
Ebola virus infection. Regardless of whether infection
Diagnosis in people depends on the phase of infection. occurs in dogs and cats, recommendations for people
Direct detection of the virus is attempted if clinical signs with exposure to Ebola virus include avoiding contact
have been present for a short period of time. Detection with their pets due to the potential risk of fur acting as a
techniques include virus isolation, antigen‐detecting fomite.

Further Reading

Allela L, Boury O, Pouillot R, et al. Ebola virus antibody Mérens A, Bigaillon C, Delaune D. Ebola virus disease:
prevalence in dogs and human risk. Emerg Infect Dis biological and diagnostic evolution from 2014 to 2017.
2005; 11(3): 385–90. Med Mal Infect 2018; 48(2): 83–94.
Ansari A. Clinical features and pathobiology of Ebola virus Olson S, Reed P, Cameron K, et al. Dead or alive: animal
infection. J Autoimmun 2014; 55: 1–9. sampling during Ebola hemorrhagic fever outbreaks in
Han Z, Bart SM, Ruthel G, et al. Ebola virus mediated humans. Emerg Health Threats J 2012; 5: 1–9.
infectivity is restricted in canine and feline cells. Vet Spengler JR, Stonecipher S, McManus C, et al.
Microbiol 2016; 182: 102–7. Management of a pet dog after exposure to a human
Martinez O, Leung L, Basler C. The role of antigen‐ patient with Ebola virus disease. J Am Vet Med Assoc
presenting cells in filoviral hemorrhagic fever: gaps in 2015; 247(5): 531–8.
current knowledge. Antiviral Res 2012; 93(3): 416–28.