Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How dog blood infections spread without fleas or ticks
By Huggins, Lucas G et al.·Published in Scientific reports·2023·Melbourne Veterinary School, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Transmission of haemotropic mycoplasma in the absence of arthropod vectors within a closed population of dogs on ectoparasiticides.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 40 dogs in Cambodia were treated with topical products to prevent parasites, but surprisingly, the number of infections from blood-borne pathogens called haemoplasmas increased significantly. These infections can be serious, especially in dogs with weakened immune systems. The study found that these haemoplasmas might be spreading through aggressive interactions between dogs rather than through insect bites, as no new infections from other vector-borne diseases were detected. This suggests that pet owners should be aware of the risks of dog aggression as a potential way for these infections to spread.
People also search for: dog blood infection treatment · why is my dog aggressive · haemoplasma in dogs symptoms
Abstract
Dog-infecting haemotropic mycoplasmas (haemoplasmas), such as Mycoplasma haemocanis and Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum are common blood-borne pathogens of canines that can potentially inflict a substantial burden of disease, particularly in immunosuppressed individuals. Nonetheless, the transmission of these pathogens remains debated as more evidence emerges that they may not be transmitted by vectors, but instead use alternative methods such as aggressive interactions and vertical transmission. Here, we treated forty dogs with two different topically-acting ectoparasiticide products able to prevent vector-borne pathogen infections during an 8-month community trial in Cambodia. A total absence of ectoparasites were observed at all time points, and no new infections caused by pathogens confirmed as being vectorially-transmitted were detected, i.e., Babesia vogeli, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, and Hepatozoon canis. Conversely, the number of haemoplasma infections in dogs on both ectoparasiticides rose significantly, with an incidence of 26 infections per 100 dogs at risk per year, providing strong evidence of non-vectorial transmission. Over the study period, dog aggression and fighting were frequently observed, highlighting a different potential mode of transmission. This study presents the first robust evidence that canine haemoplasmas may be transmitted without arthropod vectors drawing attention to the need for new methods to prevent their transmission.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37349533/