Human Brucella canis infection incidence is unknown. Most identified cases are associated with pet dogs. Contact with pathogenic Brucella spp. can lead to laboratory-acquired infections. We identified a pediatric B. canis case, the source, and other exposed persons. A three-year-old New York City child with fever and dyspnea was hospitalized for 48 hours for bronchiolitis. After her admission blood culture grew B. canis, she was prescribed antimicrobials and recovered. B. canis was isolated from blood of the child's pet dog. Isolates from the child and the dog were genetically similar. The dog originated from an Iowa breeding facility which was quarantined after identification of the puppy's infection. Thirty-one laboratory workers were exposed and subsequently monitored for symptoms; 15 completed post-exposure prophylaxis. This first report strongly suggesting B. canis transmission from a canine to a child in the United States highlights the need for coordinated control policies to minimize human illness.

No abstract