Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Vector-borne infections in Mediterranean dogs with knee ligament tears
By Tabar, María-Dolores et al.·Published in Parasites & vectors·2022·Hospital Veterinario San Vicente Vetsum, Spain·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Detection of vector-borne pathogens in owned dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture living in the Mediterranean area.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR), a common knee injury, was tested for infections from various pathogens that can affect joints. The study included 46 dogs with CCLR and 16 healthy dogs, but it found that the rates of these infections were similar in both groups, suggesting that these pathogens likely do not contribute to the ligament injury. Additionally, the inflammation patterns in the joints were also similar between the two groups. Overall, the findings indicate that vector-borne infections are not a significant factor in CCLR in dogs.
People also search for: dog knee injury causes · cranial cruciate ligament rupture treatment · dog joint infection symptoms
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cranial cruciate ligament rupture (CCLR) results from a multifactorial degenerative process that leads to rupture of the ligament. Vector-borne pathogens (VBP) in dogs can induce joint disease but their role in CCLR has not been previously investigated. The aim of the present work is to evaluate the prevalence of VBP in dogs with CCLR. METHODS: This was a prospective study that included 46 dogs presented for CCLR surgical treatment and 16 control dogs euthanized for diseases unrelated to the joints. Specimens collected included blood, synovial fluid, and synovial membrane biopsy. Pathogen testing consisted of serology for Leishmania infantum (quantitative ELISA), Ehrlichia canis/ewingii, Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum/platys, and Dirofilaria immitis (4DX IDEXX test), and PCR for L. infantum, Ehrlichia/Anaplasma spp., Bartonella spp., piroplasms (Babesia spp. and Theileria spp.), and filariae (D. immitis, Dirofilaria repens, Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides, Acanthocheilonema reconditum, and Cercopithifilaria spp.) on both EDTA-whole blood (EB) and synovial fluid (SF) samples. SF cytology and histopathological evaluation of synovial membrane were also performed. RESULTS: The prevalence of VBP was 19.6% in the CCLR group and 18.8% in the control group, with no statistical difference among them. The presence of synovitis was not more frequent in CCLR dogs (45.6%) than in control dogs (43.7%). Lymphoplasmacytic infiltration was the most common inflammatory pattern detected in the joints of both groups of dogs. CONCLUSIONS: This study failed to demonstrate a role of canine VBP in CCLR or the presence or different pattern of joint inflammation in pathogen-positive dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35534857/