Dog licks man; man dies
German doctors have reported the case of a man who died of severe sepsis from bacteria transmitted by his affectionate pet
26th November 2019
If patients present with flu-like symptoms and bruising, it’s worth asking them about pets, based on the case of a man who died from sepsis after being infected with bacteria when licked by his dog.
Doctors from the Red Cross Hospital in Bremen, Germany, have reported the case of a 63-year-old previously healthy man who died from multiorgan failure due to sepsis caused by Capnocytphaga canimorsus, which is usually transmitted through dog bites rather than licks.
The man had presented with a three-day history of fever and progressive dyspnoea.
