Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Vector-borne infections found in dogs and cats in Southern Brazil
By Malheiros, J et al.·Published in Ticks and tick-borne diseases·2016·Programa de Pó, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Identification of vector-borne pathogens in dogs and cats from Southern Brazil.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that dogs and cats in Southern Brazil can carry harmful germs spread by insects. Researchers tested 110 pets and discovered that many dogs had antibodies for Babesia vogeli, a parasite that can cause anemia and other serious health issues. In fact, 91% of the dogs tested positive for this parasite, and some showed symptoms like jaundice and bleeding. Cats also tested positive for Babesia and Bartonella, with 20% of the cats showing signs of infection. This research highlights the importance of testing pets for these infections, especially in areas where they are common.
People also search for: dog anemia symptoms · cat blood test for parasites · Babesia treatment for dogs
Abstract
Dogs and cats are often infected with vector-borne pathogens and play a crucial role as reservoirs and hosts in their life cycles. The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of vector-borne pathogens among dogs and cats in the northwestern region of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) State, Brazil. One hundred and ten blood samples were collected from dogs (n=80) and cats (n=30). Laboratory analysis were carried out through stained blood smears, indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for Babesia vogeli and Ehrlichia canis (only for dogs) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) aiming the detection of pathogens. The following pathogens were screened by PCR among dogs and cats: Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon spp. (18S rRNA gene), Anaplasma spp. (16S rRNA gene), and Ehrlichia spp. (dsb gene for dogs and 16S rRNA gene for cats) and Bartonella spp. (nuoG gene only for cats). Using blood smears structures morphologically compatible with piroplasms were found in 5.45% (6/110) of the samples. Anti-B. vogeli and anti-E. canis antibodies were detected in 91% (73/80) and 9% (7/80) of the dogs, respectively. All the seropositive dogs to E. canis were also to B. vogeli. Nineteen (17.3%) animals were positive to hemoparasites by PCR. After sequencing Rangelia vitalii 6/80 (7.5%), B. vogeli 3/80 (4%), Hepatozoon spp. 1/80 (1%), and Anaplasma spp. 1/80 (1%) were found in the dogs, and B. vogeli 2/30 (7%) and Bartonella spp. 6/30 (20%) were detected in the screened cats. No sample was positive for genes dsb and 16S rRNA of Ehrlichia spp. Only those animals which were positive for R. vitalii showed findings compatible with rangeliosis, such as anemia (100%), thrombocytopenia (67%), jaundice (50%), external bleeding (50%), and anorexia (50%). This is the first time that B. vogeli detected among cats in Southern Brazil.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27266811/