Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Hepatozoon canis and Babesia vogeli infections in dogs in Tunisia
By Bouattour, Ali et al.·Published in Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports·2021·Laboratoire de Virus·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Hepatozoon canis and Babesia vogeli infections of dogs in Tunisia.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 99 dogs in Tunisia showed symptoms like fever, loss of appetite, and depression. After testing, five of these dogs were found to be infected with blood parasites, specifically Babesia vogeli in three dogs and Hepatozoon canis in two dogs. This is the first report of Hepatozoon canis infections in dogs in Tunisia. It's important for veterinarians to consider these parasites when diagnosing dogs with symptoms similar to tick-borne diseases. Treatment details were not specified, but recognizing the infection is crucial for proper care.
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Abstract
A paucity of studies is available on haemoparasites in dogs in Tunisia. In this study, we used molecular techniques (PCR/sequencing) to detect and characterize haemoprotozoa in sick dogs from Tunisia. A total of 99 dogs displaying such clinical symptoms as fever, anorexia, and depression were presented for treatment to the hospital of the Veterinary School of Sidi Thabet (Tunisia). Among dogs screened by PCR, five (5%) proved to be infected with a hemoprotozoa species. An analysis of all the sequences that were obtained enabled us to identify two species of Protozoa: Babesia vogeli (in three dogs) and Hepatozoon canis (in two other dogs). This is the first time that an infection of dogs by Hepatozoon canis in Tunisia has been reported. Veterinary practitioners should be aware that these two haemoparasites can infect dogs and should include them in any differential diagnosis of clinical illnesses with manifestations compatible with tick-borne diseases.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33678367/