Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Tick-borne infections in dogs and wild mammals in Brazil's Caatinga
By de Oliveira, Glauber Meneses Barboza et al.·Published in Ticks and tick-borne diseases·2020·Laborató, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Tick-borne pathogens in dogs, wild small mammals and their ectoparasites in the semi-arid Caatinga biome, northeastern Brazil.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that 8 to 11% of domestic dogs in northeastern Brazil tested positive for Rickettsia rickettsii, a tick-borne disease, while 61 to 75% were positive for Ehrlichia canis, another tick-related infection. Blood samples from 147 dogs and various wild mammals were collected over two years, revealing that some dogs were infected with these pathogens, but most wild mammals were not. The research also identified several types of ticks and fleas that could spread these diseases. Pet owners in this area should be aware of the risks and consider preventive measures like tick control to protect their dogs.
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Abstract
Caatinga is a biome exclusive to the semiarid zone of Brazil, where studies on ticks and tick-borne diseases are scarce. Herein, we investigated the occurrence of Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, and Coxiella in wild mammals, domestic dogs and their ectoparasites using molecular and serological techniques. During 2014-2016, blood samples and ectoparasites were collected from 70 small mammals (51 rodents, 18 marsupials, 1 wild canid) and 147 domestic dogs in three areas of the Caatinga. Through serological analyses of domestic dogs of the three areas, 8 to 11 % were seropositive for Rickettsia rickettsii, 9 to 37 % for Rickettsia amblyommatis, 61 to 75 % for Ehrlichia canis, and 0-5% for Coxiella burnetii. All wild mammals were seronegative for Rickettsia spp. and C. burnetii, except for one rodent (Wiedomys pyrrhorhinos) and one marsupial (Didelphis albiventris) that were seroreactive to C. burnetii, one wild canid (Cerdocyon thous) for R. amblyommatis, and two Rattus rattus for Rickettsia spp. Through PCR targeting DNA of Rickettsia, Ehrlichia or Coxiella, all blood samples were negative, except for the presence of Ehrlichia canis DNA in 8.8 % of the domestic dogs, and a recently reported novel agent, Ehrlichia sp. strain Natal, in one marsupial (Gracilinanus agilis). A total of 222 ticks, 84 fleas, and six lice were collected. Ticks were mostly Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, some Ixodes loricatus, Ornithodoros rietcorreai, Haemaphysalis sp., and Amblyomma spp.; fleas were Ctenocephalides felis felis, Pulex sp. and Polygenis (Polygenis) bohlsi jordani; and lice were Polyplax sp. and Gyropus sp. Through molecular detection of microorganisms, 9% of C. felis felis contained Rickettsia felis, 20 % of A. auricularium contained R. amblyommatis and 13 % of A. parvum contained 'Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae', whereas Ehrlichia canis DNA was detected in at least 6% of the R. sanguineus s.l. from one area. We report a variety of ectoparasites infesting small mammals and domestic dogs in the Caatinga biome, where these ectoparasites probably act as vectors of rickettsiae, ehrlichial agents (E. canis and Ehrlichia sp. strain Natal) and C. burnetii. Our results highlight to the potential risks of human infection by these tick-borne agents in the Caatinga biome.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32111546/