Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
High rate of tick infections in dogs on Arizona Hopi reservation
By Diniz, Pedro Paulo V P et al.·Published in Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.)·2010·College of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: High prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in dogs from an Indian reservation in northeastern Arizona.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that a high number of dogs living on a Hopi Indian reservation in northeastern Arizona were exposed to tick-borne diseases. In late spring 2005, 69% of the 145 dogs tested had been infected or exposed to at least one tick-borne pathogen, with the most common being Ehrlichia canis, which was actively infecting about 37% of the dogs. In winter 2007, the prevalence remained high, with 66% of 88 dogs showing similar exposure. This highlights the importance of regular tick prevention and monitoring for symptoms of tick-borne illnesses in dogs, especially in areas where ticks are prevalent.
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Abstract
We evaluated the serological and molecular prevalence of selected organisms in 145 dogs during late spring (May/June) of 2005 and in 88 dogs during winter (February) of 2007 from the Hopi Indian reservation. Additionally, in 2005, 442 ticks attached to dogs were collected and identified as Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Infection with or exposure to at least one organism was detected in 69% and 66% of the dogs in May/June 2005 and February 2007, respectively. Exposure to spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae was detected in 66.4% (2005) and 53.4% (2007) of dogs, but rickettsial DNA was not detected using polymerase chain reaction. Active Ehrlichia canis infection (by polymerase chain reaction) was identified in 36.6% (2005) and 36.3% (2007) of the dogs. E. canis infection was associated with SFG rickettsiae seroreactivity (p < 0.001). Anaplasma platys DNA was detected in 8.3% (2005) and 4.5% (2007) of the dogs. Babesia canis and Bartonella vinsonii berkhoffii seroprevalences were 6.7% and 1% in 2005, whereas in 2007 prevalences were 0% and 1.1%, respectively. No Bartonella spp., Ehrlichia chaffeensis, or Ehrlichia ewingii DNA was detected. Dogs on this Hopi Indian reservation were most frequently infected with E. canis or A. platys; however, more than half of the dogs were exposed to a SFG-Rickettsia species.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19469667/