Moeller Courtney M, Bartges Joseph W, Brust Kelsey D, Kass Philip H, Kelly Rebecca F, Lashnits Erin W, Li Chai-Fei, Merkel Lindsay K, Pritchard Jessica C, Sykes Jane E
School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA.
Veterinary Medical Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
J Vet Intern Med. 2025 May-Jun;39(3):e70112. doi: 10.1111/jvim.70112.
Brucella canis is an important cause of discospondylitis in dogs, and brucellosis can be challenging to diagnose. Early recognition could aid in early implementation of precautions to limit zoonotic transmission.
HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To determine whether specific clinical features exist that differentiate Brucella canis infection from other causes of discospondylitis in dogs.
Fifteen dogs with Brucella canis discospondylitis (cases) and 25 dogs with non-Brucella discospondylitis (controls) evaluated between 2010 and 2021.
Multi-institutional retrospective case-control study. Clinical features in cases were compared to those in temporally matched controls using conditional logistic regression analysis. Neurologic examination findings and radiographic findings were documented by a board-certified neurologist and radiologist who were masked to group identity.
No case had a history of being bred or kennel housing. Cases were younger (median, 2.6 years) than controls (median, 5.7 years) (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66-1.00). There were no differences in sex or breed. Compared to controls, cases had a lower odds of neurologic deficits (odds ratio [OR] = 0.03; 95% CI 0.00-0.85), higher odds of C2-C5 involvement (OR = 13.0; 95% CI 1.6-106.7), and higher odds of multiple disc site involvement (OR = 12.0, 95% CI 1.5-95.8). They had a lower odds of neutrophilia (OR = 0.11, 95% CI 0.01-0.92), a higher median hematocrit (50.6% versus 43.7%; OR = 1.49, 95% CI 1.09-2.03), and a higher median lymphocyte count (1.8 × 1000/μL vs. 1.1 × 1000/μL; OR = 2.39, 95% CI 1.05-5.45). There was no difference in the radiographic appearance of lesions between groups.
Brucella canis infection should still be considered in cases of discospondylitis regardless of neuter status, sex, and breeding history. Clinical features exist that should increase suspicion for brucellosis.
犬布鲁氏菌是犬椎间盘炎的重要病因，布鲁氏菌病的诊断可能具有挑战性。早期识别有助于尽早采取预防措施以限制人畜共患病传播。
假设/目标：确定是否存在特定临床特征可将犬布鲁氏菌感染与犬椎间盘炎的其他病因区分开来。
2010年至2021年间评估的15只患有犬布鲁氏菌椎间盘炎的犬（病例）和25只患有非布鲁氏菌性椎间盘炎的犬（对照）。
多机构回顾性病例对照研究。使用条件逻辑回归分析将病例的临床特征与时间匹配的对照进行比较。由一位对分组情况不知情的获得委员会认证的神经科医生和放射科医生记录神经学检查结果和影像学检查结果。
没有病例有繁殖或犬舍饲养史。病例比对照年轻（中位数，2.6岁对5.7岁）（95%置信区间[CI]0.66 - 1.00）。性别和品种无差异。与对照相比，病例出现神经功能缺损的几率较低（优势比[OR]=0.03；95%CI 0.00 - 0.85），C2 - C5受累的几率较高（OR = 13.0；95%CI 1.6 - 106.7），多个椎间盘部位受累的几率较高（OR = 12.0，95%CI 1.5 - 95.8）。它们出现嗜中性粒细胞增多的几率较低（OR = 0.11，95%CI 0.01 - 0.92），平均血细胞比容较高（50.6%对43.7%；OR = 1.49，95%CI 1.09 - 2.03），平均淋巴细胞计数较高（1.8×1000/μL对1.1×1000/μL；OR = 2.39，95%CI 1.05 - 5.45）。两组间病变的影像学表现无差异。
无论绝育状态、性别和繁殖史如何，椎间盘炎病例仍应考虑犬布鲁氏菌感染。存在一些临床特征应增加对布鲁氏菌病的怀疑。
