Incidence of Canine Tick Vectors and Molecular Detection of Haemoparasites in Vectors and Hosts

Background: Ticks are of great importance in transmission of various canine tick borne diseases. Several characteristics of ticks make them outstanding vectors of pathogenic agents, the wide host range and slow feeding habit along with tendency to feed on several hosts during life cycle ensures ample opportunity to acquire and transmit pathogens. Methods: This study focuses on status of canine tick vectors and molecular detection of haemoparasites in these ticks and their host, in and around Kolkata. The blood and tick samples were collected from Dog Ward, Department of Teaching Veterinary and Clinical Complex; Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, WBUAFS at Belgachia; Veterinary Clinic of Kolkata Police Dog Squad at Alipore; Veterinary Clinic of Barrackpore Police dog Squad and samples from stray dogs were also collected from inside the University campus through a period of one year (August, 2016 to July, 2017). Result: The tick infestation was recorded at 41% with Rhipicephalus sanguineus, being the only tick. Nine primer sets were used for detection of Babesia spp, Ehrlichia canis, Ehrlichia chaffensis, Babesia gibsoni, Hepatozoon canis, Mycoplasma haemocanis, Anaplasma platys and Theileria annae from the respective tick samples and blood sample of hosts. Tick samples were found positive for Babesia spp, Ehrlichia spp. and H. canis where as the corresponding blood samples were found positive for Babesia spp, Ehrlichia spp., Mycoplasma spp. and H. canis. This study conclusively provides evidence of high rates of incidence of haemoparasitic infection or canine tick borne diseases infection and tick infestation, with at least four haemoparasites infecting the dog population and at least one tick species (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) infesting the dogs in and around Kolkata.

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Molecular detection of Hepatozoon canis and Babesia canis vogeli in domestic dogs from Cuiabá, Brazil

Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária ◽

10.1590/s1984-29612011000300015 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 253-255 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Mariana Granziera Spolidorio ◽

Mariana de Medeiros Torres ◽

Wilma Neres da Silva Campos ◽

Andréia Lima Tomé Melo ◽

Michelle Igarashi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

18S Rrna ◽

Molecular Detection ◽

Domestic Dogs ◽

Hepatozoon Canis ◽

Babesia Canis ◽

Mato Grosso ◽

First Time ◽

The City ◽

Babesia Spp

The objective of this study was to report for the first time infection by Hepatozoon spp. and Babesia spp. in 10 dogs from the city of Cuiabá, State of Mato Grosso, central-western Brazil. A pair of primers that amplifies a 574 bp fragment of the 18S rRNA of Hepatozoon spp., and a pair of primers that amplifies a 551 bp fragment of the gene 18S rRNA for Babesia spp. were used. Six dogs were positive for Babesia spp., and 9 were positive for Hepatozoon spp. Co-infection of Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon spp. was seen in 5 dogs. Sequenced samples revealed 100% identity with B. canis vogeli, and H. canis. This is the first molecular detection of H. canis in domestic dogs from Cuiabá. Additionally, it is described for the first time the presence of B. canis vogeli circulating among dogs in Cuiabá.

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Molecular detection of Babesia spp. in ticks sampled from asymptomatic dogs in the area of some Belgrade municipalities

Veterinarski glasnik ◽

10.2298/vetgl1606175d ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 70 (5-6) ◽

pp. 175-184

Author(s):

Darko Davitkov ◽

Srecko Terzic ◽

Dajana Davitkov ◽

Milena Radakovic ◽

Bojan Gajic ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Causative Agent ◽

Molecular Detection ◽

Rhipicephalus Sanguineus ◽

Dermacentor Reticulatus ◽

Species Determination ◽

Pcr Rflp ◽

Causative Agents ◽

Long Time ◽

Clinically Significant ◽

Babesia Spp

Babesiosis of domestic animals is a vector transmissible and clinically significant disease, caused by protozoa of genus Babesia and Theileria. Possible causative agents for this disease in dogs in Europe are: Babesia canis, B. gibsoni, B. vogeli and B. microti-like. Diagnostics of babesiosis of dogs was for a long time based on the visual inspection of stained blood smear under a microscope, while today there have been increasingly used molecular methods of detection in precise, species diagnostics. The objective of this work was molecular detection of the cause of babesiosis of dogs in the ticks sampled from asymptomatic dogs in the region of some Belgrade municipalities, all for better understanding of epizootiological situation. From three sites in Belgrade, there were collected 49 ticks, sampled from the dogs with no symptoms. There was carried out the determination of the ticks, and after that, DNA was isolated for molecular examination. First, there was performed Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), for determining the species of the genus Babesia, and after that there was also carried out the determining of polymorphism in the length of restriction fragments (RFLP) for the purpose of the causative agent species determination. Out of the total number of the examined ticks, 18,34% were positive on Babesia spp. By RFLP method, in two cases (4,08%) B. Gibsoni was identified, while in 7 cas?es (14,92%) there were no restriction sites for the used enzymes, what suggests that most likely it was B. canis. The ticks positive on the cause of babesiosis were: Dermacentor reticulatus (4 cases), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (4 cases) i Ixodes ricinus (1 case). This work confirms the presence of Babesia spp. in the ticks sampled from asmptomatic dogs on the teritory of Belgrade as well as the significance of PCR-RFLP method in diagnostics and identification of the causative agent of babesiosis in dogs. For the first time in Serbia, there was determined the presence of B. gibsoni in ticks (Species Rhipicephalus sanguineus)

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Molecular detection of tick-borne haemopathogens in shelter dogs and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (sensu lato) ticks from Peninsular Malaysia

10.21203/rs.2.20162/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Quincie Sipin ◽

Farina Mustaffa Kamal ◽

Malaika Watanabe ◽

Puteri Azaziah Megat Abdul Rani ◽

Nur Mahiza Md ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Molecular Detection ◽

Rhipicephalus Sanguineus ◽

Peninsular Malaysia ◽

Single Infection ◽

Babesia Gibsoni ◽

Blood Samples ◽

Babesia Vogeli ◽

Microscopic Evaluation ◽

Rhipicephalus Sanguineus Sensu Lato ◽

Shelter Dogs

Abstract Background Canine tick-borne haemopathogens (TBH) constitute a significant concern worldwide. The detection of these TBH is mainly achieved by microscopic evaluation, seroprevalence, and molecular detection. The present study was designed to investigate the molecular detection of Anaplasma platys , Babesia gibsoni, Babesia vogeli , and Ehrlichia canis in shelter dogs and Rhipicephalus sanguineus ( sensu lato ) ticks infesting them in Malaysia.Results A total of 220 blood samples and 140 ticks were collected from 10 animal shelters in Peninsular Malaysia. The presence of haemopathogens was detected using conventional PCR, sequenced, and identified at the species level. Of the 220 blood samples, 77 (35%) were positive with at least one of the four haemopathogens, of which E. canis predominated (20%) followed by B. gibsoni and B. vogeli both with detection of 7%, and A. platys (12%). In tick samples, 5 (3.57%) of the collected samples were positive with at least one of the three haemopathogens. Low detection of E. canis and A. platys were present (n = 2; 1.43%) as well as B. vogeli shows only 1 sample positive (0.71%) and no detection of B. gibsoni . For co-infection in dogs, single infection is common (24%), while co-infection with two haemopathogens (10%) was also observed. The occurrence of infection with three TBH was also observed in the sampled dogs (1%).Conclusion E. canis is the most common TBH affecting shelter dogs in Peninsular Malaysia. Co-infection is quite common and the most common co-infection present was E. canis and A. platys. The study highlighted the first extensive molecular detection of TBH in dogs and R. sanguineus ( sensu lato ) ticks in Malaysia

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Autochthonous Babesia canis, Hepatozoon canis and imported Babesia gibsoni infection in dogs in the Czech Republic

Veterinární Medicína ◽

10.17221/152/2016-vetmed ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 62 (No. 3) ◽

pp. 138-146 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

B. Mitkova ◽

K. Hrazdilova ◽

M. Novotna ◽

J. Jurankova ◽

L. Hofmannova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Czech Republic ◽

Dynamic Change ◽

Hepatozoon Canis ◽

Large Set ◽

Babesia Gibsoni ◽

The Czech Republic ◽

Apicomplexan Parasites ◽

Imported Case ◽

Tick Vectors ◽

18S Rdna Gene

The epidemiology of tick-borne diseases as well as the ecology of the associated tick vectors is currently undergoing dynamic change. Canine babesiosis has, to date, only been reported in the Czech Republic as an imported disease, despite the presence of an established population of D. reticulatus in the South Moravian region. A recent report of autochthonous H. canis in dogs indicates that the spectrum of tick-borne diseases in dogs in the Czech Republic may be broader than previously expected and that a survey of a large set of dogs may be required. The aim of the present study was to survey the spectrum of tick-borne apicomplexan parasites infecting dogs in the Czech Republic and to assess the autochthonous character of detected infections. In the present study, we surveyed the spectrum of tick-borne protists in 418 dogs in the Czech Republic using PCR-based detection of the 18S rDNA gene of piroplasms and H. canis. We confirmed the presence of H. canis (4%), B. canis (1%, including the autochthonous cases) and a single imported case of B. gibsoni (0.2%) infection in sampled animals. Our results indicate that these pathogens deserve closer attention from veterinarian practitioners.

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Ticks and associated tick-borne pathogens from dogs and red foxes from Bulgaria

BULGARIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE ◽

10.15547/bjvm.2310 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 608-613

Author(s):

M. S. Panayotova-Pencheva ◽

B. Vichova ◽

V. I. Dakova ◽

D. S. Salkova

Keyword(s):

Climate Changes ◽

Rhipicephalus Sanguineus ◽

Ixodid Ticks ◽

Domestic Dogs ◽

Hepatozoon Canis ◽

Tick Population ◽

Infectious Agents ◽

Red Foxes ◽

Sharp Rise ◽

Babesia Spp

Climate changes in recent years led to a sharp rise in the tick population and an increase in the number of animals and people with tick-borne infections. The domestic and wild carnivores, especially the dogs, have a huge role for the distribution of ticks in certain areas. In this study 60 ixodid ticks collected from domestic dogs and red foxes from Bulgaria have been investigated for infection with Ehrlichia canis, Hepatozoon canis, Babesia spp., and Rickettsia spp. The results showed that the dogs were infected with two tick species - Rhipicephalus sanguineus (72%) and Ixodes ricinus (28%). The red foxes were infected with only one species - I. ricinus. Out of all R. sanguineus ticks, 43.6% were female and 56.4% male. The opposite was observed for I. ricinus - female specimens (86.7%) were significantly more prevalent than males (13.3%). Similar trend was found out for I. ricinus collected from red foxes - 66.7% of the ticks were female and 33.3% male. Infectious agents were found in 31.7% of the investigated ticks. Ehrlichia spp. was established in 79% and Rickettsia spp. in 21% of the infected ticks. Ehrlichia spp. was found only in ticks collected from dogs. The majority of the ticks infected with Ehrlichia spp. were Rh. sanguineus (93.3%) and only one tick was I. ricinus (6.7%). Four ticks were positive for Rickettsia spp., two were Rh. sanguineus and two - I. ricinus, one of the latter was found on a fox. This is the first report about detection of Ehrlichia spp. in Rh. sanguineus ticks from Bulgaria as well as Rickettsia spp. in I. ricinus ticks collected from red foxes from this country.

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Molecular Detection of Zoonotic and Non-Zoonotic Pathogens from Wild Boars and Their Ticks in the Corsican Wetlands

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10121643 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 1643

Author(s):

Baptiste Defaye ◽

Sara Moutailler ◽

Christian Pietri ◽

Clemence Galon ◽

Sébastien Grech-Angelini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wild Boar ◽

Animal Species ◽

Molecular Detection ◽

Rhipicephalus Sanguineus ◽

Animal Population ◽

Blood Samples ◽

Wild Boars ◽

On This Island ◽

First Time ◽

Babesia Spp

Corsica is the main French island in the Mediterranean Sea and has high levels of human and animal population movement. Among the local animal species, the wild boar is highly prevalent in the Corsican landscape and in the island’s traditions. Wild boars are the most commonly hunted animals on this island, and can be responsible for the transmission and circulation of pathogens and their vectors. In this study, wild boar samples and ticks were collected in 17 municipalities near wetlands on the Corsican coast. A total of 158 hunted wild boars were sampled (523 samples). Of these samples, 113 were ticks: 96.4% were Dermacentor marginatus, and the remainder were Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma scupense and Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. Of the wild boar samples, only three blood samples were found to be positive for Babesia spp. Of the tick samples, 90 were found to be positive for tick-borne pathogens (rickettsial species). These results confirm the importance of the wild boar as a host for ticks carrying diseases such as rickettsiosis near wetlands and recreational sites. Our findings also show that the wild boar is a potential carrier of babesiosis in Corsica, a pathogen detected for the first time in wild boars on the island.

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Molecular detection of Dirofilaria immitis, Hepatozoon canis, Babesia spp., Anaplasma platys and Ehrlichia canis in dogs on Costa Rica

Acta Parasitologica ◽

10.1515/ap-2015-0003 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 60 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Lanjing Wei ◽

Patrick Kelly ◽

Kate Ackerson ◽

Heba S. El-Mahallawy ◽

Bernhard Kaltenboeck ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Costa Rica ◽

Dirofilaria Immitis ◽

Molecular Detection ◽

Ehrlichia Canis ◽

Hepatozoon Canis ◽

Anaplasma Platys ◽

Vector Borne Diseases ◽

Tropical Areas ◽

Vector Borne ◽

Babesia Spp

AbstractAlthough vector-borne diseases are important causes of morbidity and mortality in dogs in tropical areas, there is little information on these conditions in Costa Rica. In PCRs of blood from dogs in Costa Rica, we did not detect DNAs of Rickettsia (R.) felis and Coxiella (C.) burnetii but we did find evidence of infection with Dirofilaria (D.) immitis (9/40, 22.5%), Hepatozoon (H.) canis (15/40, 37.5%), Babesia spp. (10/40, 25%; 2 with B. gibsoni and 8 with B. vogeli), Anaplasma (A.) platys (3/40, 7.5%) and Ehrlichia (E.) canis (20/40, 50%). Nine dogs (22.5%) were free of any vector-borne pathogens while 14 (35%) were infected with a single pathogen, 11 (27.5%) with two, 4 (10%) with three, 1 (2.5%) with four, and 1 (2.5%) with five pathogens. Dogs in Costa Rica are commonly infected with vector-borne agents

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Evidence of the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi in dogs and associated ticks in Egypt

BMC Veterinary Research ◽

10.1186/s12917-020-02733-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Author(s):

R. Elhelw ◽

M. Elhariri ◽

D. Hamza ◽

M. Abuowarda ◽

E. Ismael ◽

...

Keyword(s):

16S Rrna ◽

Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽

Molecular Characterization ◽

Lyme Borreliosis ◽

Tick Infestation ◽

Rhipicephalus Sanguineus ◽

Its2 Region ◽

Morphological Identification ◽

Tick Vectors

Abstract Background Borrelia burgdorferi is the spirochete that causes Lyme Borreliosis (LB), which is a zoonotic tick-borne disease of humans and domestic animals. Hard ticks are obligate haematophagous ectoparasites that serve as vectors of Borrelia burgdorferi. Studies on the presence of Lyme borreliosis in Egyptian animals and associated ticks are scarce. Methods This study was conducted to detect B. burgdorferi in different tick vectors and animal hosts. Three hundred animals (dogs=100, cattle=100, and camels=100) were inspected for tick infestation. Blood samples from 160 tick-infested animals and their associated ticks (n=1025) were collected and examined for the infection with B. burgdorferi by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The identified tick species were characterized molecularly by PCR and sequencing of the ITS2 region. Results The overall tick infestation rate among examined animals was 78.33% (235/300). The rate of infestation was significantly higher in camels (90%), followed by cattle (76%) and dogs (69%); (P = 0.001). Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus, and both Hyalomma dromedarii and Amblyomma variegatum, were morphologically identified from infested dogs, cattle, and camels; respectively. Molecular characterization of ticks using the ITS2 region confirmed the morphological identification, as well as displayed high similarities of R. sanguineus, H. dromedarii, and A. Variegatu with ticks identified in Egypt and various continents worldwide. Just one dog (1.67%) and its associated tick pool of R. sanguineus were positive for B. burgdorferi infection. The 16S rRNA gene sequence for B. burgdorferi in dog and R. sanguineus tick pool showed a 100% homology. Conclusion Analyzed data revealed a relatively low rate of B. burgdorferi infection, but a significantly high prevalence of tick infestation among domesticated animals in Egypt, which possesses a potential animal and public health risk. Additionally, molecular characterization of ticks using the ITS2 region was a reliable tool to discriminate species of ticks and confirmed the morphological identification.

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