Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Tick-borne infections Ehrlichia, Hepatozoon, Babesia in dogs
By Osathanon, Rungrote et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2025·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and Public Health·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Ehrlichia, Hepatozoon, and Babesia Coinfection Patterns Among Owned Dogs in Central Thailand.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study of over 2,500 dogs in central Thailand found that many were infected with tick-borne diseases like Ehrlichia, Babesia, and Hepatozoon. About 19% of the dogs had at least one of these infections, with Ehrlichia being the most common. Coinfections, where dogs had more than one of these diseases at the same time, were found in nearly 3% of cases and were more common in younger dogs. The researchers emphasized the need for thorough testing and tick prevention measures to protect dogs from these potentially serious illnesses.
People also search for: dog tick-borne disease symptoms · Ehrlichia treatment in dogs · Babesia infection in puppies
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Ehrlichia, Hepatozoon, and Babesia have the potential to cause life-threatening illnesses in dogs, especially when coinfections occur. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To determine the infection rates, coinfection patterns, and risk factors associated with these pathogens in central Thailand. ANIMALS: Two thousand five hundred nineteen owned dogs presented with clinical abnormalities consistent with tick-borne diseases between 2019 and 2023. METHODS: Retrospective study, blood samples were analyzed using multiplex PCR to assess infection rates. The study compared infection rates across different sexes and age groups and tracked monthly variations. RESULTS: A total of 19.02% (95% CI: 17.50-20.60) of dogs were infected by one pathogen infection: Ehrlichia 11.47% (10.25-12.78), Babesia 2.78% (2.17-3.50), and Hepatozoon 1.83% (1.34-2.43). Infections occurred year-round but peaked in May. Coinfections were observed in 2.94% (2.31-3.67) of cases. Among infected dogs, coinfections were identified in 34% (36/106) and 53% (52/98) of dogs with babesiosis or hepatozoonosis, respectively, whereas 19% (69/358) of dogs with ehrlichiosis were co-infected. Coinfections peaked in April, occurred in all age groups, and were more frequent in dogs younger than 1 year compared to dogs older than 7 years. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: These findings underscore the importance of comprehensive diagnostic testing for multiple pathogens and tick prevention in dogs living in this region.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40447456/