Greenville

Dog Sniffs Out Dangerous Bacteria at North Carolina Hospital

A beagle named Harley visits twice a week to sniff out bacteria

NBCUniversal, Inc.

Detecting dangerous bacteria can be difficult, but an unusual new helper is sniffing around Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, North Carolina to help patients.

A beagle named Harley is pretty special and possibly the only dog in the U.S. working to detect this kind of bacteria in hospitals.

Her owner, Keith Pittman, trained her to work with people, using treats to help her sniff out C. Diff, a bacteria common in hospital rooms that can cause patients, particularly the elderly, unpleasant symptoms, illness and sometimes death when it's spread around on things like doorknobs or bed rails.

Read more from Greenville NBC affiliate WITN.

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