Infection in Stray Dogs from Central and Southern Chile (Linares and Puerto Montt).

Abstract

Bartonellae are emerging zoonotic vector-borne pathogens causing a broad spectrum of clinical symptoms in humans and animals, including life-threatening endocarditis. Dogs are infected with a wide range ofspecies and infection has been reported in free-roaming dogs from various South American countries. We report a highseroprevalence in 82 Chilean stray dogs. More than half of the dogs from Linares (72.7%, = 66) and Puerto Montt (56.2%, = 16) were seropositive for,ssp., orwith antibody titers ranging from 1:64 to 1:512. Three dogs (3.6%) were PCR positive forsp. Partial sequencing of theA gene indicated that two dogs were infected with, and one with a strain close tossp.. Exposure tospecies was common in stray Chilean dogs, as for other South American countries, likely associated with heavy ectoparasite infestation.