Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ehrlichia canis and Babesia vogeli types linked to dog illness
By Gallego, Mariana Marin et al.·Published in Ticks and tick-borne diseases·2023·Grupo Biologí·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Molecular characterization of Ehrlichia canis and Babesia vogeli reveals multiple genogroups associated with clinical traits in dogs from urban areas of Colombia.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs in Colombia were tested for two blood infections, Ehrlichia canis and Babesia vogeli, which can cause serious health issues. Out of 185 dogs, 13% had Ehrlichia canis, while only 1% had Babesia vogeli. The study found that different strains of Ehrlichia canis were linked to various health problems, affecting blood cell counts and overall health. The findings suggest that more awareness and prevention efforts are needed, especially in areas with lower socioeconomic status.
People also search for: dog blood infection symptoms · Ehrlichia canis treatment · Babesia vogeli in dogs · how to prevent dog blood diseases
Abstract
Ehrlichia canis and Babesia vogeli are vector-borne pathogens that infect blood cells and produce the diseases Canine Monocytic Ehrlichiosis (CME) and Babesiosis in dogs. Considering the lack of studies on these pathogens in Colombia, this study aims to determine the molecular prevalence and genetic characterization of E. canis and Babesia spp., in dogs from the Metropolitan Area of Bucaramanga (MAB), Santander, a region with one of the greatest pet densities in Colombia. One hundred eighty-five dogs were surveyed and analyzed through molecular, clinical, and hematological approaches. The molecular detection of E. canis and Babesia spp., was performed by conventional PCR targeting the dsb and 18S rRNA genes, respectively. To identify genogroups, E. canis positive samples underwent a hemi-nested PCR of the trp36 gene, and the PCR products were subsequently sequenced. Molecular analyses showed a prevalence of 13% (24/185; CI 95%, 8.1 - 18.0%) and 1.09% (2/185; CI 95,% -0.43 - 2.6%) for E. canis and B. vogeli respectively, as well as the presence of the genogroups US (USA), BR (Brazil), and CR (Costa Rica), in 62.5, 16.6, and 16.6% of E. canis positive samples, respectively. Values of hematocrit, hemoglobin, platelets, erythrocytes, white blood cell (WBC) count, lymphocytes, and eosinophils showed significant differences between animals infected with the different genogroups of E. canis (p< 0.05). In contrast, hematocrit values, hemoglobin, platelets, red blood cells, and creatine kinase MB isoenzyme (CK-MB) were lower in B. vogeli positive animals. Statistical analysis indicated that E. canis infection was associated with specific socioeconomic sectors as well as with some household features (p< 0.05). In conclusion, our results present evidence of the circulation of multiple genogroups of E. canis in the MAB, which is associated with different geographical origins and clinical traits. Epidemiological analyses suggest a need to increase molecular surveillance and prevention campaigns especially in lower socioeconomic sectors.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36574738/