Humans are not natural carriers of
B. bronchiseptica, which typically infects the
respiratory tracts of smaller mammals (cats, dogs, rabbits, etc.).
Veterinary pathogenesis In veterinary medicine,
B. bronchiseptica leads to a range of pathologies in different hosts. It is a serious disease of dogs, pigs, and rabbits, and has been seen in cats, horses, and seals. A PCR test for the pathogen exists. In
pigs,
B. bronchiseptica and
Pasteurella multocida act synergistically to cause
atrophic rhinitis, a disease resulting in arrested growth and distortion of the
turbinates in the nasal terminus (snout). In
dogs,
B. bronchiseptica causes acute tracheobronchitis, which typically has a harsh, honking cough.
Kennel cough can also be caused by
canine adenovirus-2 or canine parainfluenza virus or a combination of pathogens.
Cats infected with
B. bronchiseptica have been seen with tracheobronchitis,
conjunctivitis, and
rhinitis (upper respiratory tract infection - URI), mandibular
lymphadenopathy, and
pneumonia. However, URI in cats can also be caused by
herpesvirus,
calicivirus,
Mycoplasma species, or
Chlamydia psittaci. ==Outbreaks==