Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Vector-borne diseases of small companion animals in Namibia: Literature review, knowledge gaps and opportunity for a One Health approach.
- Journal:
- Journal of the South African Veterinary Association
- Year:
- 2015
- Authors:
- Noden, Bruce H & Soni, Minty
- Affiliation:
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
In Namibia, there is a growing concern about diseases that are spread by insects and affect pet dogs and cats, but not much is known about them. A recent review highlighted that only a few specific diseases caused by worms and ticks have been identified in pets, mainly in urban areas like Windhoek, while rural areas have been largely overlooked. This means that many pets in less accessible regions might be at risk without proper veterinary care. However, with new training programs for veterinarians being developed, there is a chance to better understand and tackle these diseases that can affect both pets and people. Overall, the review suggests that more research is needed to protect companion animals and public health in Namibia.
Abstract
Namibia has a rich history in veterinary health but little is known about the vector-borne diseases that affect companion dogs and cats. The aim of this review is to summarise the existing published and available unpublished literature, put it into a wider geographical context, and explore some significant knowledge gaps. To date, only two filarial pathogens (Dirofilaria repens and Acanthocheilonema dracunculoides) and three tick-borne pathogens (Babesia canis vogeli, Hepatozoon canis and Ehrlichia canis) have been reported. Most studies have focused solely on dogs and cats in the urban Windhoek and surrounding areas, with almost nothing reported in rural farming areas, in either the populous northern regions or the low-income urban areas where animal owners have limited access to veterinary services. With the development of several biomedical training programmes in the country, there is now an excellent opportunity to address zoonotic vector-borne diseases through a One Health approach so as to assess the risks to small companion animals as well as diseases of public health importance.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26824340/