New York, Aug. 17 (BUS): Health officials have warned people with monkeypox to stay away from household pets, as the animals may be at risk of contracting the virus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has for months had advice in place with the spread of monkeypox in the United States but it gained new attention after a report from France, published last week in the Lancet medical journal, about an Italian greyhound who contracted the virus, the Associated Press reported.
The dog belonged to a couple who said they slept next to the animal. The greyhound later developed lesions and was diagnosed with the virus.
Monkeypox infection has been detected in rodents and other wild animals, which can transmit the virus to humans. But the authors called it the first report of monkeypox infecting a pet such as a dog or cat.
The CDC advises that pets in close contact with a person showing symptoms stay home and away from animals and other people for 21 days after the most recent contact.
MI