Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Vector-borne infections found in pets and people in rural Guatemala
By Scorza, A Valeria et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports·2025·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Detection of selected vector-borne pathogens in domestic animals, ectoparasites, and their owners in a rural community in Southwest Guatemala.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs in a rural community in Southwest Guatemala was tested for blood-borne infections, and it was found that 60% of them had Ehrlichia spp. (a type of bacteria that can cause illness). The study also looked at chickens and turkeys, finding a small number with another pathogen called Anaplasma spp. However, no Bartonella spp. (another type of bacteria) was found in the dogs or humans tested. The results highlight the presence of these pathogens in local pets and poultry, which could lead to health issues for both animals and their owners. Awareness campaigns are expected to follow to help reduce these infections.
People also search for: dog Ehrlichia treatment · symptoms of Ehrlichia in dogs · how to prevent ticks on dogs
Abstract
Vector-borne pathogens, which are transmitted by blood-feeding arthropods to animals and people, are common in tropical regions where, combined with economic factors, can cause significant public health burden. A community-level study was undertaken in southwestern Guatemala to assess the presence of vector-borne pathogens in blood samples from humans (n = 98), their animals (n = 90), and ectoparasites (n = 83) over a period of 2 weeks. Human capillary blood was collected from participant's index finger, and animal venous blood (chickens, pigs, dogs, and cats) was collected from the jugular or cephalic veins at the enrollment period of a concurrent study. Ectoparasites (fleas, ticks, and lice) were collected from dogs at the time of the blood collection. Total DNA was extracted from the human blood, animal blood, and ectoparasites and assayed using published PCR assays for Anaplasma spp., Bartonella spp., and Ehrlichia spp. Ectoparasites were also tested for the presence of Rickettsia spp. DNA by PCR. Anaplasma spp. DNA was amplified from 1 of 39 (2.6 %) chickens and 1 of 6 (16.6 %) turkeys. All human and dog blood samples were negative for Bartonella spp. in the same community. Ehrlichia spp. DNA was amplified from 12 (60 %) of 20 dogs and sequencing documented Ehrlichia spp. in 2 dogs and the ticks and fleas collected from these dogs. All the Ehrlichia spp.-positive sequences showed 100 % homology to E. canis sequences and other uncultured Ehrlichia spp. strains isolated from animals. Rickettsia spp. DNA was not amplified from any of the ectoparasites assessed. Our findings suggest that Ehrlichia spp. are common in dogs and Anaplasma spp. are circulating in poultry in a rural community in southwest Guatemala. We expect these results to be used in awareness campaigns and public health interventions to reduce vector borne pathogens in the region.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39855840/