The Iowa Flu
"Our 4-legged family members are a homegrown source for rapidly morphing zoonotic pathogens"
Part 1: A Quaint Life
In the peaceful town of Willow Creek, nestled in the heart of Western Iowa, life unfolded in the idyllic rhythm of a Midwestern community. The residents took pride in their close-knit society, where everyone knew their neighbors, and life moved at a leisurely pace.
Fred and Donna Thompson owned a charming house on Maple Street. At the center of their world was a spirited Cocker Spaniel named Max. With his golden fur and soulful eyes, Max was not just a pet; he was a beloved member of the family.
One sunny afternoon, as Max frolicked in the backyard, he stumbled upon a peculiar sight — a prairie dog emerging from a burrow near the edge of the property. Unbeknownst to the Thompsons, this seemingly innocent encounter would set in motion a chain of events that would change the world forever.
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Part 2: The Silent Threat
As the prairie dog vanished underground, Max sniffed the burrow where he had been seen. The little dog’s otherwise beautiful day suddenly took a sinister turn. The prairie dog’s urine carried an unseen menace, a virus that had quietly evolved in the wild. Max recoiled from the smell, which seemed to bite his nose, shaking off the momentary discomfort, and returned home, blissfully unaware of an invisible threat now coursing through his bloodstream.
Hours passed, and Max’s behavior began to change. He became lethargic. His once-bright eyes clouded with an unnatural haze. He developed intermittent incontinence and a raspy cough. Concerned, the Thompsons rushed him to the local veterinary clinic. As Dr. Lawson examined Max his furrowed brow revealed the severity of the situation.
The prairie dog’s urine had passed a mysterious virus that spread rapidly through Max’s upper respiratory system. Dr. Lawson did the best he could. He gave the dog a shot of antibiotics and a cough suppressant and sent him home with instructions to keep him comfortable and wait for the bug to pass.
At home, Fred and Donna allowed Max to sleep on their bed, not realizing that his house training or the shot he got at the vet would not stop him from urinating into their sheets. The next morning, the Thompsons were heartbroken when they awoke to find Max dead. After they wept their final goodbyes and buried him in their backyard, Donna changed the bed and took the soiled sheets to her washer. As she loaded the sheets she felt a burning sensation in her nose and started to cough.
Part 3: Historical Antecedents
Since the middle of the 20th century, pets have more frequently become considered “family members.” As family patterns become more atomized from the shortening of travel time, the digital world, contraception, gender rights, and a host of other factors, house pets poured into an emotional gap. Ignored or forgotten was the potential danger of pet-borne pathogens.
We have known for a long time that viral diseases such as rabies (mainly from dog trade or travel abroad), feline cowpox, influenza, and emergent noroviruses or rotaviruses can be incubated and transmitted to humans. Bacteria transmitted by bites or scratches can cause illness such as pasteurellosis or cat scratch disease. Depending on age or immune status, this can have severe consequences on human hosts. More pathways are opened by closeness, not to say intimacy, with our pets. We breathe their exhalations. We handle their fur. We clean up after them. Cutaneous contamination with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Leptospira spp., and/or aerosolization of bacteria causing tuberculosis or kennel cough are not unknown, nor are transmissions of gastro-intestinal pathogens such as Salmonella or Campylobacter. Parasitic and fungal pathogens, such as echinococcosis, leishmaniasis, onchocerciasis, or sporotrichosis, are well known. Yet unknown and unseen may be re-emerging or novel zoonotic transmissions.
Pet dog and cat populations have substantially increased in the developed world and it is estimated that dogs and cats are present in more than 50% of households in the USA (2012 estimated dog population: 71 million, 2012 estimated cat population: 74 million) and Europe (2012 dogs: 75 million, 2012 cats: 90 million) with 70 million households owning a pet. A similar trend is emerging in Asia in countries such as Japan, Taiwan and even China, as the Chinese population owning dogs and cats increased from 5% and 14%, respectively, in 1999, to an estimated 7% and 15% in 2004, respectively.
— Chomel (2014)
In 1999 and 2000, three US state health departments reported four outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness due to Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium in employees, clients, and client animals from three companion animal veterinary clinics and one animal shelter. More than 45 persons and companion animals became ill. Two hundred animals were infected. Eighteen persons and 36 animals were culture-positive for a multidrug-resistant S. typhimurium variant.
Leptospirosis is caused by bacteria belonging to the genus Leptospira. Dogs can be carriers and shed the bacteria in their urine. Humans can contract the disease through contact with contaminated water or soil.
Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite that can infect the gastrointestinal tract of various animals, including dogs. Humans can become infected through the ingestion of contaminated water, food, or contact with infected animals.
The parvovirus, which was first recognized in 1978, can live for months outside the body, spreading not just from animal to animal but through feces, sneaking into the yards of dog owners via a bit of excrement stuck to the bottom of a person’s shoe.
— Nyce (2024)
Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati are roundworms that infect dogs and cats, respectively. Humans can become infected by accidentally ingesting the eggs, or through contact with infected dog feces, soil, or contaminated surfaces.
Capnocytophaga canimorsus is a bacterium commonly found in the mouths of dogs and cats. While infections in humans are rare, they can occur following bites, scratches, or close contact.
Staphylococcus intermedius is a bacterium commonly found on the skin of dogs. While it typically doesn’t cause illness in dogs, there have been rare cases of transmission to humans, particularly in those with compromised immune systems.
A wide number of vector-borne diseases, such as Lyme, ehrlichiosis, or tick-borne encephalitis, can infect pets. The infection of humans by the larval E. multilocularis is often the result of association with dogs that have eaten infected rodents. The risk to humans is not so much from direct transmission of these pathogens as from the shared environment. Two examples are plague caused by Yersinia pestis after sleeping with flea-infested pets, and the presence of brown dog ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) in playgrounds, leading to several cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases in Arizona.
Pet ownership brings major well-being support and the risk of zoonoses is limited when good animal care and appropriate preventive measures are applied in the human environment. However, the risks are not null and some behaviors (kissing, sleeping, being licked, or sharing food or kitchen utensils) or exposure of high-risk group persons may lead to disease carried by companion animals.
— Chomel (2014)
Part 4: The Hawkeye Epidemic
Unbeknownst to the Thompsons, the virus that claimed Max’s life had not been contained within the confines of Willow Creek. Harbored in the urine of infected dogs, it went undetected as it tainted the ground where dogs roamed. Max, unknowingly a carrier, had left traces of the virus in the Thompsons’ yard, home, and bedroom. Other dogs, drawn to the scent of his lingering presence, became unwitting victims as they investigated the contaminated territory. The new virus spread like wildfire through the local dog population, creating a silent epidemic that caught everyone off guard. Dogs in neighboring towns, counties, and eventually, the entire state, fell victim to the mysterious illness.
Desperation and confusion gripped the region as veterinary clinics overflowed with sick animals and pet owners grappled with the sudden loss of their furry companions. Soon the epidemic spread beyond the borders of Iowa and cases were reported across the country.
Then veterinarians and their assistants began falling ill and dying. The once-thriving pet industry ground to a halt, as fear and uncertainty pervaded the lives of pet owners and care providers. The bond between humans and their canine companions was abruptly challenged, creating waves of shock and distress in the hearts of millions. Logic and emotion battled. Science and the urgent warnings of public health departments flew out the window. Denialism reigned.
Once in contact with humans, the virus unleashed a merciless onslaught. Pneumonia struck with ferocity, leaving victims gasping for breath within hours of exposure. Cardiac arrest followed, a merciless consequence that spared no one, regardless of age or gender. Families were torn apart, communities left in shock, and the medical community scrambled to comprehend the unprecedented speed at which this disease claimed its victims.
The once-peaceful town of Willow Creek became a haunted landscape, its streets devoid of the laughter of children playing with their pets. The bond between humans and dogs, once a source of joy, had become a vector of tragedy.
A new, deadly canine disease would almost certainly leave experts scrambling to respond, in some way. And in that scramble, pet owners could be left in a temporary information vacuum, worrying about the health of their little cold-nosed, four-legged creatures. The specifics of any pandemic story depend on the disease — how fast it moves, how it sickens and kills, and how quickly — but in almost any scenario it’s easy to imagine the moment when someone fears for their pet and doesn’t know what help will come, and how soon.
— Nyce (2024)
As scientists scrambled to comprehend the nature of this cross-species transmission, the virus spread by geometric progression through the human population. Once a tranquil haven, Western Iowa became the epicenter of a global research effort. Who was patient zero? Where did the virus originate? In Iowa City, caravans of satellite trucks ringed the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa, a Tier-1 research institution with over 31,000 students. Rumors had it that Carver Med was a leader in the field of Gain of Function gene manipulation.
Meanwhile the E.R. at Carver hospital overflowed with patients exhibiting severe respiratory distress and other mysterious symptoms. Even as they tossed treats to passing dogs, news crews outside watched their satellite live feeds in horror as the virus, now known as Canine Influenza Z (CIZ) to scientists and the Iowa Flu to most people, decimated human and animal populations with a speed and ferocity never seen before.
Governments worldwide implemented strict quarantine measures, but the dog urine virus eluded containment. Owners resisted all attempts to round up and destroy their beloved pets. The streets were eerily silent as cities and towns became ghostly landscapes, ruled by abandoned and feral dogs, the virus from their urine claiming lives faster than scientists could develop a vaccine.
The once-thriving global population now faced an uncertain future, forever scarred by the rapid and lethal consequences of a virus that had originated in the most unexpected of places — prairie dog holes in Western Iowa.
Part 5: The Race for a Cure
In laboratories across the globe, researchers worked tirelessly to unravel the mysteries of CIZ. The urgency of the situation led to unprecedented collaboration as scientists and experts pooled their resources in a desperate bid.
Months progressed as if time had slowed to a crawl. The passing of time was marked by heartache, fear, and an ever-increasing death toll. Families were torn apart, economies crumbled, and the world grappled with the catastrophic consequences of a virus that had originated from a chance encounter in a back yard in Iowa.
A scenario in which pet owners stand by while their dogs are killed en masse is hard to imagine. People love their pets fiercely, and consider them family; many would push to save their dogs. But even in a scenario where humans were safe, the systems we’ve set up might not be able to keep pets from dying on a disturbing scale.
— Nyce (2024)
Hope emerged when a team of virologists and geneticists finally developed a potential vaccine. The world held its breath as clinical trials began, and governments mobilized to distribute the vaccine at scale. The fate of humanity hung in the balance as the Iowa Flu pandemic reached its greatest global expanse, still accelerating.
Part 6: A Fragile New Beginning
The vaccine proved effective, but the toll was irreversible. A once-thriving global population had been decimated, leaving behind empty cities and mere echoes of former populations. The bond between humans and dogs, once a source of joy and companionship, was sundered. Dogs were now only a painful reminder of devastation and grief. They did not approach humans and humans gave them a wide berth.
In Willow Creek, survivors — those who had had no contact with dogs — grieved the loss of their quaint town. The world emerged from the shadows of the pandemic forever changed and scarred by the memories of a virus that would write Willow Creek into history.
As life tentatively resumed, a new normal unfolded. The legacy of Canine Influenza Z, the Iowa Flu, lingered, a haunting reminder of the unforeseen consequences of animal companionship.
Postscript
This short story is entirely fictional and speculative. It was assisted in its creation by Chat GPT and Google Scholar. No scientific evidence or published research suggests a zoonotic pandemic originating from Cocker Spaniels or prairie dogs. There is no Willow Creek, Iowa, although there is a creek of that name near Mason City.
While zoonotic diseases do exist, and some can be transmitted between animals and humans, the specific events portrayed in the story are not real. What is real is that:
- Many zoonotic viruses originate in wildlife. Bats, in particular, are known reservoirs for several viruses. The 1918 influenza pandemic, often referred to as the Spanish flu, is one of the deadliest pandemics in history and likely originated in birds. The H1N1 influenza pandemic of 2009 had a swine origin.
- The intensification of agriculture and close proximity between humans, pets and livestock combine to increase the risk of zoonotic mutation.
- Many infectious diseases affecting humans have originated in animals. Examples include SARS-CoV-2 (from bats), HIV/AIDS (primates), Ebola (bats), SARS (civet cats), and MERS (camels).
- Increased travel and trade facilitate the rapid spread of infectious agents across borders.
Early detection and surveillance are critical for preventing and controlling emerging infectious diseases. Monitoring wildlife populations, domestic animals, and humans for signs of novel pathogens is essential. Researchers use tools such as genomic sequencing to understand the genetic makeup of viruses, track their evolution, and identify potential reservoirs. This was the sort of work done with bat populations at the Wuhan Lab prior to Covid, but it has been discontinued.
The destruction of natural habitats, climate change, and increased human-wildlife interactions will heighten the risk of zoonotic spillover events. So will antimicrobial resistance to infectious diseases, including those with zoonotic origins. So will the exponential growth of pet domesticity globally.
The larger question is whether Western societies will be able to muster the will to act in a coordinated way or will instead disintegrate from an inability to understand or appreciate the value of timely concerted action. Recent tests have not been reassuring.
References
Chomel, B. B. (2014). Emerging and re-emerging zoonoses of dogs and cats. Animals, 4(3), 434–445.
Nyce, C.M., We got lucky with the mystery dog illness, The Atlantic (Jan 7 2024)
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