Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Vector-borne infections in dogs and cats in Egypt
By Zarea, A A K et al.·Published in Acta tropica·2023·Department of Veterinary Medicine, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prevalence of Bartonella spp., haemotropic Mycoplasma spp. and others vector-borne pathogens in private-owned dogs and cats, Egypt.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that nearly half of the dogs and a fifth of the cats tested in Egypt had infections from various germs spread by insects. Specifically, 42% of dogs were infected with Bartonella, a germ that can cause health issues, especially in dogs living in rural areas. Additionally, some dogs and cats had infections from other types of bacteria that can lead to anemia, a condition where pets have low red blood cells. The findings suggest that pet owners should be aware of these infections, especially if their pets show signs of anemia, and consider preventive measures to protect their pets and themselves.
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Abstract
Vector-borne pathogens have been increasingly investigated for their impact on dog and cat health and their zoonotic potential. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence estimates of selected vector-borne pathogens in client-owned pets from the Giza and Cairo governorates, Egypt.  Out of 200 dogs and 100 cats, 94 (47%) and 23 (23%) were positive for at least one of the tested pathogens (P<0.0001). In particular, 84 (42%) dogs and 3 (3%) cats tested PCR-positive for Bartonella spp. (P<0.0001). A significantly higher prevalence of Bartonella spp. was detected in dogs from the rural areas of the Giza governorate (60/77, 79.2%, P<0.0001) compared to those from Cairo governorate. Bartonella henselae was the dominant species infecting dogs (81/200, 40.5%) followed by Candidatus Bartonella merieuxii (3/200, 1.5%), while B. henselae (2/100, 2%) and B. clarridgeiae were rare in cats. Haemoplasma DNA was detected in 17% (34/200) of dogs and 20% (20/100) of cats with increased risk in dogs from Giza rural areas (21/77, 27.27%, P=0.002) and from both dogs (16/63, 25.40%, P=0.03) and cats (7/14, 50%, P<0.002) with anemia. Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum (30/200, 15%) and Mycoplasma haemocanis (4/200, 2%) in dogs and Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum (18/100, 18%) and M. haemofelis (2/100, 2%) in cats were detected. Additionally, 2 dogs were positive for C. burnetii DNA. Coinfections were detected in dogs, with the majority (23/200, 11.5%) including B. henselae and C.M. haematoparvum, followed by Mycoplasma haemocanis and C.M. haematoparvum (2/200, 1%) and B. henselae, CMhp and C. burnetii (2/200, 1%). Haemoplasma infection was high in Egyptian dogs and cats with a high prevalence for zoonotic Bartonella spp. in dogs with anemia, highlighting the need to investigate these agents in the diagnostic algorithm of anemia and to adopt preventive measures to protect both animal and human health.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36775003/