Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ehrlichia, Babesia, and Hepatozoon infections in dogs from semiarid
By Rotondano, Tereza Emmanuelle de Farias et al.·Published in Revista brasileira de parasitologia veterinaria = Brazilian journal of veterinary parasitology : Orgao Oficial do Colegio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinaria·2015·Centro de Ciê·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Survey of Ehrlichia canis, Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon spp. in dogs from a semiarid region of Brazil.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 100 dogs in Brazil were tested for tick-borne infections and found to have high rates of Ehrlichia canis, a bacteria that can cause serious health issues. Blood tests showed that 34% of the dogs were positive for this infection, particularly among non-vaccinated female dogs. Additionally, 10% of the dogs had Babesia vogeli, which can lead to anemia and was more common in younger dogs. Fortunately, no dogs tested positive for Hepatozoon spp. This study highlights the importance of tick prevention and regular health checks for dogs in areas where these infections are prevalent.
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Abstract
This study assessed the occurrence of Ehrlichia spp., Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon spp. infections in 100 tick-harboring dogs from a semiarid region of the State of Paraíba, Northeastern Brazil. Blood samples and ticks were collected from the animals, and a questionnaire was submitted to dog owners to obtain general data. Blood samples were used to perform hemogram, direct blood smear and immunological and molecular hemoparasite detection. The 1,151 ticks collected were identified as Rhipicephalus sanguineus; direct smears revealed E. canis-like morulae in the monocytes of 4% (4/100) of the non-vaccinated female dogs, and 34% and 25% of the dogs tested positive for Ehrlichia canis by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively. Blood smear examination revealed Babesia-suggestive merozoites in the erythrocytes of 2% (2/100) of the animals. Babesia vogeli was detected by PCR in ten animals (10%) and was correlated with young age (p = 0.007) and thrombocytopenia (p = 0.01). None of the animals showed Hepatozoon spp. positivity. These results indicate that E. canis is the main tick-borne canine pathogen in the study area and provide the first report of B. vogeli infection in dogs from Paraiba State.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25909253/