Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Vector-borne infections in hunting dogs in southern Italy
By Sgroi, Giovanni et al.·Published in Acta tropica·2022·Department of Veterinary Medicine, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Vector-borne pathogens of zoonotic concern in hunting dogs of southern Italy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that hunting dogs in southern Italy are at risk of infections from various vector-borne pathogens, which are diseases spread by insects like ticks and mosquitoes. Out of 1,433 dogs tested, about 22% were positive for at least one pathogen, with the most common being Ehrlichia spp. and Acanthocheilonema reconditum. The research highlighted the importance of using multiple testing methods to accurately diagnose these infections. This information is crucial for pet owners, especially those with hunting dogs, to be aware of the potential health risks and to discuss preventive measures with their veterinarian.
People also search for: hunting dog tick disease · symptoms of Ehrlichia in dogs · how to prevent vector-borne diseases in dogs
Abstract
Dogs are commonly exposed to vector-borne pathogens (VBPs), yet few data are available on hunting dogs, which are often at high risk of infection due to their involvement in field activities. To investigate the occurrence of VBPs and evaluate the relative performance of different diagnostic tools, blood and serum samples were collected from hunting dogs (n = 1,433) in rural areas of southern Italy. All samples were tested by Knott's technique for filarioids, serologically (SNAP® 4Dx® Plus) for Anaplasma spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Dirofilaria immitis and Ehrlichia spp. and molecularly (qPCR) for all except B. burgdorferi of the above pathogens plus Babesia spp. and Leishmania infantum. Logistic regression was run to evaluate the statistical associations between the risk of VBP infection and independent variables (such as geographic area of provenience, age class and sex) and K-Cohen formula for assessing the concordance among diagnostic tests. Overall, out of 321 dogs (22.4%) positive to at least one VBP, 28 (1.9%) were infected by filarial species at the Knott's technique. In particular, Acanthocheilonema reconditum was the most prevalent (1.6%), followed by D. immitis (0.2%) and Dirofilaria repens (0.1%). One hundred forty (9.8%) and 231 (16.1%) dogs scored positive to VBPs by serological and molecular methods, respectively. The most prevalent pathogens detected were Ehrlichia spp. (7.3%) with SNAP® 4Dx® Plus, and A. reconditum (7.7%) by qPCR. Statistics revealed a significant association (p < 0.001) between A. reconditum infestation and both Ehrlichia spp. seropositivity and geographical origin of dogs. An agreement of 99.9%, 94.0% and 95.7% for Knott - SNAP® 4Dx® Plus, Knott - qPCR and SNAP® 4Dx® Plus - qPCR for D. immitis was found, respectively. Data demonstrate a high prevalence of VBPs in hunting dogs, indicating that this group of animals is largely exposed to several arthropod vector species and suggesting the transmission risk of pathogens to humans in rural areas of southern Italy. A multi-diagnostic approach and a deeper cooperation among healthcare and stakeholders are required to prevent VBP infections to animals and humans.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35523272/