Zoonotic Public Health Cases Illustrates Real World Examples for Students

 Midwestern University’s One Health Club held a zoonotic public health talk on the Downers Grove Campus that examined cases where diseases were transmitted from animals to humans. Karen Gruszynski, D.V.M., M.P.H., Ph.D. DACVPM, Assistant Professor, College of Graduate Studies (CGS-Downers Grove) highlighted three cases and offered advice about symptoms to look for and how disease transmission from animals to humans can occur. The students attending were also given information about the Master of Public Health program and the One Health Club.

Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM) student and president of the One Health Club Juliet Shelton (CCOM ’27) said, “Regardless of our health professions, these cases can present themselves to a dentist, physical therapist, or a physician. We wanted to give the chance to educate students in all the colleges on these things so they can be picked up sooner if they happen.” Juliet added, “We’re all interprofessional, so it’s interesting for us in our professions to get another perspective that isn’t traditionally taught in our classes.” 

Medical student and vice-president of the One Health Club Marit Lyon (CCOM ’27) concurred. “This talk specifically sheds a lot of light on how intertwined human health is with the health of other species and also the environment.” Marit continued that while these cases or similar ones might not be a situation encountered often, the knowledge will assist them in future practice. “Keeping the idea that zoonotic diseases can happen is something important for all of us to look for when seeing patients in the healthcare field. Open your mind to the things that can get missed and lead to bad outcomes,” she said. 

Dr. Gruszynski discussed a case where two patients from the same family were diagnosed with Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus after contact with pet guinea pigs. After a scratch from a guinea, one patient experienced symptoms including influenza symptoms, nausea, diarrhea, bilateral thigh pain, a rash on the legs, and elevated liver enzymes. Dr. Gruszynski shared, “The patient was referred to multiple hospitals due to multiple organ failure and necrotizing fasciitis. Doctors had to remove multiple muscle groups from the patient’s legs and sent the patient to a rehab center due to the muscle groups being surgically removed from the legs.” The other patient likely became infected due to inhalation after cleaning the guinea pig cage. The patient’s symptoms included nausea, vomiting, abdominal and chest pain, and difficulty breathing.  “The patient went into respiratory failure and was on a ventilator. The patient also experienced septic shock and multiple organ failure,” she said.  

Another case Dr. Gruszynski mentioned was rabies transmission to a human after experiencing a dog bite abroad. The patient’s symptoms included paresthesia (a sensation of tingling, prickling, itching, or burning) in the right arm, shortness of breath, and trouble swallowing water. She said the patient had muscle spasms while trying to drink (hydrophobia). “Hydrophobia is a classic sign of rabies,” stated Dr. Gruszynski. She advised proper and preventative care. “Rabies is completely preventable through vaccination of domestic animals and getting appropriate treatment before you show clinical signs of rabies. Once you show clinical signs of rabies, mortality is almost 100 percent,” Dr. Gruszynski said and added there were a few exceptions to the mortality rate. She advised students that anyone who is bitten by an animal abroad should get preventative care. In the U.S., wildlife that potentially carry rabies vary depending on region: raccoons in the East Coast, skunks in the Central U.S., and foxes in Alaska and Texas. She added that in the U.S. rabies is rare with about one to three cases a year, but 60,000 people around the world die from rabies every year.

The third case Dr. Gruszynski highlighted involved a patient testing positive for Salmonella.    The patient lived on a cattle farm and used poultry litter that had not been composted to fertilize their pastures. The Salmonella outbreak led to many animals dying including cows, calves, and a bull. It also caused an abortion storm (abortions at a high rate) in the cows, she said. In addition, the outbreak had financial ramifications for the farm. She emphasized, “Always assume poultry is 100 percent contaminated with Salmonella.” Dr. Gruszynski also mentioned that animals such as reptiles and amphibians also have Salmonella, and to use the proper precautions when handling them. 

A Midwestern University education offers supplemental educational, informational learning opportunities to assist students on their journeys as future doctors and other healthcare professions. Exposure to the possibility of zoonotic diseases in patients will assist students as they go forth into becoming patient-centered healthcare professionals.