Zoonotic possibility of meningitis

Posted January 8th, 2009 by
Categories: straightguysca.com

My iguana's jaw abscess produced a culture of Neisseria meningitidis, a common cause of human meningitis. Is this really possible or a lab error? Can I or my other iguanas get this disease from the new iguana?

Thank you for the 5 stars and the generous tip! Both are appreciated. Let me clarifiy a bit about the LP (Spinal tap). A reptile (And a human) can *carry* the bacteria, and NOT have meningitis. The LP would be used to diagnose meningitis. The jaw abcess may or may not have led to meningitis. The culture I spoke of would be to see if the jaw abcess contained N. meningitidis. The culture (C&S) would only detect the organism in the jaw. An LP is the only way to see if there are organisms in the spinal fluid. I am not a veterinarian, but if it were *me* or my pet, I would treat as if it WERE meningitis, and forgo the LP. There are blood tests to detect N. menigitidis antibodies, but the turn-around time would be 1-3 days. Your vet may recommend watchful waiting of your other iguanas. I'm glad your iguana is on the road to recovery, and I'm sure you will keep a watchful eye on the others! All the best, Crabcakes

The iguana shows no signs of illness. My concern is that he is a carrier. Your reference from Melissa Kaplan's site listed that genus among those that are zoonotic. It might be a total coincidence that I've had an ear infection and dizziness since two days after I brought Gizmo home (about 3 weeks). It hasn't responded to three antibiotics. UC Davis and Stanford are thinking this is a different species in that genus, perhaps one previously unknown. It may be producing my symptoms because if I had the real enchilada, I'd have been in the hospital long ago. I just spoke with about the only UCD exotics vet that is speaking to me now, and she said a spinal tap on an iguana is impossible. This afternoon, I will be delivering Gizmo to Davis for boarding until a definitive diagnosis and prognosis are made. As for the jaw abscess causing meningitis, their hypothesis is that it is of human origin. You or I watch ESPN, eat a peach, and break off a piece that's been in our mouth (carrier location) and toss it to the pet iguana. Last Thursday the microbiologists ordered a blood test, as you mentioned. The vet with whom I just spoke said she also swabbed his mouth and mixed that with the blood sample. It was negative for Neisseria meningitidis. Thanks so very much for your interest and insight! Susan L. Solomon retired Ph.D., quantitative methods in business, and 20-year rescuer and rehabilitator of wild and pet snakes and lizards SSue@post.harvard.edu

Superb answer, right at the level of my knowledge of veterinary medicine and reptile keeping. You found a test much less intrusive than the spinal tap recommended on the other sites. To answer your question, yes, he received antibiotic shots post-surgery and before coming home, but they didn't give the correct number of them. You're my hero!

Hello Snakelady, According to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, humans are the only known reservoir for Neisseria meningitidis. ?Humans are the only known reservoir for N. meningitis. The organism is spread primarily through intimate contact with the nasopharyngeal secretions of an infected person (i.e., through kissing, mouth to mouth resuscitation, sharing eating utensils, sharing smoking materials, sharing beverages). N. meningitis is extremely sensitive to drying and cooling and rarely survives outside the body for more than a few minutes. If the organism is coughed onto a desk and remains there for a minute or longer, it will dry out and die.? http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/DHHS/CDCS/meningitis.htm This site has a difference of opinion, probably because N. meningitidis is not nearly as common as salmonella infections in iguanas. Reptile-Associated Zoonoses There are several other zoonotic organisms that can be transmitted from reptiles to their keepers (and their keepers' families) that can cause the same types of symptoms as a Salmonella infection: Aeromonas Campylobacter Citrobacter Coccidia Clostridium Corynebacterium Edwardsiela tarda E. coli Enterobacter Enterobacter Klebsiella Leptospira Mycobacterium Neisseria Pasturella Pentostomiasis Plesiomonas Proteus Serratia Staphlococcus Strepococcus Yersinia http://www.anapsid.org/salmsymptoms.html ?Initially, the infectious agent colonizes or establishes a localized infection in the host. This may be in the form of colonization or infection of the skin, nasopharynx, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, or genitourinary tract. Most meningeal pathogens are transmitted through the respiratory route, as exemplified by the nasopharyngeal carriage of Neisseria meningitides (meningococcus) and nasopharyngeal colonization with S pneumoniae (pneumococcus).? http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic2613.htm ?Meningitis is a medical term meaning "inflammation of the meninges" which are membranes enclosing the human brain and spinal column. Neisseria meningitis is one of many bacteria that cause the disease. Viruses can cause meningitis as well. The bacteria causes illness sporadically, either as isolated cases or epidemics. There are nine types of N. meningitis. Types A, B, and C cause more than 90 percent of meningoccal disease globally. ?Reptiles Reptiles - including lizards, snakes, and turtles - place children at risk for: ? Salmonellosis: Reptiles, such as lizards, snakes, and turtles, shed Salmonella in their feces. Touching the reptile's skin, cage, and other contaminated surfaces can lead to infection in people. Salmonellosis causes symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. Young children are at risk for more serious illness, including dehydration, meningitis, and sepsis. http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/skin/pet_infections.html ?The CDC report recommends that reptiles or amphibians should not be kept in homes with children younger than 5, or with anyone who is immunocompromised for any reason. Likewise, children under 5 and immunocompromised people should avoid contact (direct or indirect) with reptiles or amphibians, and child care centers should not house these animals. Knowing the risks, these recommendations should be taken seriously.? http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/reptiles/a/reptsalmonella.htm ?The CDC report states that Salmonella infection can result in serious illness including sepsis and meningitis and can particularly affect infants and elderly people.? http://www.reptilerescueca.org/ReptilesMedia.html ?Zoonoses are defined by the World Health Organisation as "Diseases and infections which are naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and man". A zoonotic agent may be a bacterium, virus, fungus, parasite, or other communicable agent. Zoonoses cover a broad range of diseases with very different clinical and epidemiological features and control measures, but they are grouped together because successful control requires joint veterinary and medical efforts.? http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/nzge/index.htm ??a little common sense can minimize the chances of your pet making you ill. Many animals that carry zoonotic diseases often pass bacteria through their feces and other bodily fluids. A common example is salmonella, which can be transmitted by iguanas. "It is important to assume that a reptile or other exotic animal is continually shedding whatever zoonotic disease they may carry, if you come in contact with their feces or fluids and do not wash your hands and accidentally ingest this waste, you may become infected," Johnson said. Pet store owners and breeders can help prevent the spread of zoonotic disease by practicing good management techniques, Johnson says.? http://rev.tamu.edu/stories/03/062703-3.html If you practice common sense till your iguana is cured, you will greatly reduce your chances of contracting the organism yourself. Use gloves when handling and touching anything the iguana comes in contact with. Don?t have your face some close to your pet. Wash your hands after removing your latex/vinyl gloves. If you think you may have been exposed, call your doctor. S/he may want you to take antibiotics prophylactically. Culturing your other iguanas would indeed be a good idea. Was your new iguana treated with the appropriate antibiotic before being placed with the other iguanas? There are tests called ?Rapid Tests? that are not as accurate as a real culture and sensitivity. You can request a real culture from your vet. Also, Neisseria species of bacteria have a distinctive shape, and a Gram stained smear, using a swab of the infected area, examined by a trained eye, can presumptively diagnose the disease rapidly. Here is an illustration: http://textbookofbacteriology.net/nfN.meningitidis.jpeg More information http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/1997/797_rept.html http://www.ahc.umn.edu/rar/MNAALAS/Iguana.html#Bacteria I hope this answers your question. If not, please request an Answer Clarification., I will be happy to assist you further, before you rate this answer. Good Luck, Crabcakes Search Terms ============ Meningococcal disease + zoonoses + reptiles Zoonoses + n.meningitidis + reptiles iguana + neisseria meningitidis

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Zoonotic possibility of meningitis