Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Mycoplasma infections in dogs from Rio de Janeiro Brazil
By Barbosa, Marllon V et al.·Published in Infection, genetics and evolution : journal of molecular epidemiology and evolutionary genetics in infectious diseases·2021·Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Spatial distribution and molecular epidemiology of hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. and Mycoplasma haemocanis infection in dogs from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study in Rio de Janeiro found that 17.84% of dogs tested positive for a type of blood infection caused by Mycoplasma bacteria, with a specific strain called Mycoplasma haemocanis affecting 2% of the dogs. Dogs living in homes with rodents or wild animals, as well as those with tick infestations, were more likely to be infected. The researchers suggest that ticks may spread this infection among dogs in the area. Understanding these risks can help pet owners take preventive measures to protect their dogs from these infections.
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Abstract
This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the epidemiology and spatial distribution of hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. and Mycoplasma haemocanis in dogs from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Blood samples were collected at random from 437 household dogs. An epidemiological questionnaire was completed concerning the host characteristics as well as the environments in which they lived. A positivity frequency of 17.84% (78/437) was found for Mycoplasma spp. and 2% (9/437) for M. haemocanis in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, through molecular detection based on the 16S rRNA sequence. According to the present study, dogs that live in households with the presence of rodents (odds ratio [OR] = 9.93; p-value = 0.02; confidence interval [CI]: 1.34-73.66) and wild animals (OR = 1.91; p-value = 0.03; CI: 1.06-3.42) are more likely to be infected with Mycoplasma spp.. Also, dogs with tick infestation (OR = 6.47; p-value = 0.007; CI: 1.63-25.60) have more chances to become infected with M. haemocanis. The spatial analysis disclosed a positive correlation between the Mycoplasma presence and tick infestation (global Moran index = 0.82; pseudo-p-value =0.001). The epidemiological findings support the hypothesis of Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. as the vector of M. haemocanis in the studied region and provide insightful information to prevent the Mycoplasma spp. infection in dogs from Rio de Janeiro.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33276147/