US health official have linked an antibiotic-resistant infection striking 118 in 18 states to puppies sold at six pet store companies.

Yeah, smile some more you little disease factory!

These people were infected with Campylobacter, a common bacteria, from January 2017 through February 2018, according to a report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  It didn't cause any deaths; but Campylobacter can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever. 

The problem for the patients compounded because the strain of the bacteria showed resistance to all antibiotics commonly used to treat the infections, including macrolides and quinolone.  That put people with weakened immune symptoms and infants at elevated risk, and 26 people were treated in hospital.

Most Campylobacter infections happen in people who handle or eat raw or undercooked poultry.  In this outbreak, almost all of 118 people infected reported contact with a pet store puppy; the first cases were reported in Florida and before long the outbreak had gone as far north as Wisconsin and Michigan, and as far west as Wyoming and Oklahoma.  From these cases, officials were able to trade the infection back to 25 breeders.