Tests showed that the bacteria Capnocytophaga canimorsus, found in the saliva of cats and dogs, was rampant in his blood.

Sixteen days after he arrived at hospital, his family made the decision to have his life support turned off.

Three weeks earlier, a 52 year old cat owner was infected from her cat's saliva, and after developing gangrene and an incurable blood infection, the woman died in hospital.

C. canimorsus infections were rare until 2016 and tended to only affect those with a suppressed immune system, no spleen, or alcohol problems, as stated in the European Journal Of Case Reports In Internal Medicine. However in the past 3 years there has been a startling increase in cat owners' deaths due to this infection, and an almost as sharp increase in dog owners' deaths. Doctors across the globe are scrambling to try to explain the sudden change since the summer of 2016.

Even if caught, the infection is fatal in around 36% of cases, they added.

Transmission via licking, with no biting or scratching, is becoming more commonplace.

He developed brain damage and “paralytic ileus”, obstruction of the intestine due to paralysis of the muscles.

After being resuscitated from a cardiac arrest, the man was put on a ventilation machine that “breathed” for him.

Four days into his hospital stay, blood tests finally showed C. canimorsus.

Despite further antibiotics, the man developed epidermolysis of the entire body.

Dogs and cats have unique bacterium in the mouths for a purpose, nature's way of disposing carrion, and those bacteria keep the animals healthy. Those bacteria are actually harmful to us, the team urge pet owners to seek medical help if symptoms “exceed those of a simple viral infection”, like laboured breathing or small, red skin spots.

If a pet owner presents with the above or bruising, doctors should ask when they last came into contact with pets, the authors added.

***FUCKING VILE & HIDEOUS***. WHY THE F*** WOULD ANYBODY WANT TO KEEP A PET IN THEIR HOUSE? ALL THAT PET DANDER FLOATING AROUND LANDING IN THE FOOD AND ON THE BLANKETS AND THE WHOLE HOUSE STINKS LIKE ANIMALS.

F****** sick.