The headline says it all, and is terrifying in and of itself for all us dog-owners out there.
The 63 year old man in Germany was given a rare infection from his dogs affection.
The bacteria, commonly found in the mouths of cats and dogs, isn’t usually passed along without a bite.
The infection began with flu-like symptoms. It continued to get worse until he died in the hospital from multiple organ failure.
Pet-owners who suffer from aggressive flu-like symptoms are urged to consult their doctors. This coming right before the flu-season, when everyone is encouraged to receive their flu shots.
Two story ideas come to mind after reading this article. The first is a widespread panic brought about by the advice to monitor flu-like symptoms. If this bacteria began spreading to humans with regularity during another flu outbreak doctors could have trouble controlling the resultant panic. This could be a collapse of society type-story, one in which cats and dogs are villified, which would create a dangerous atmosphere for those hoping to save their furry friends.
The second story scenario, and they might be able to work in concert, is a world in which the bacteria spreads from dog/cat to humans with much more frequency and results in a physical deformity, like blindness. The panic and breakdown of order could still be a factor but it this story would be much more like Birdbox, the popular netflix movie. I’d choose another affliction besides blindness, but exploring the world where everyone suffers from such the problem could create some interesting consequences. For one, it could be the onset of severe asthma, causing whoever’s heartrate becomes elevated to pass out from lack of oxygen.
The chances of being given an infection from a pet is rare, but the possibility could lead to some interesting stories.
