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BackgroundTick-borne haemoparasites Babesia vogeli and Anaplasma platys are common among the free-roaming canine populations associated with Aboriginal communities in Australia, whilst the prevalence of haemoplasmas, which are also suspected to be tick-borne, remained unexplored. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of haemoplasma infection in these populations, and to identify any correlation with other haemoparasites. Blood was collected from 39 dogs associated with four Aboriginal communities and screened for infection using PCR and serology. DNA was purified and PCR analyses for piroplasms, Anaplasmataceae family bacteria and haemoplasmas performed. Serum was analysed using a commercial haemoparasite ELISA. Prevalence of infection was compared between communities.ResultsSeventeen dogs (44%) were infected (PCR positive) with Mycoplasma haemocanis, eight (21%) with ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum’, 20 (51%) with A. platys, and 17 (44%) with B. vogeli. Two dogs were infected with a novel haemoplasma as determined by DNA amplification and sequencing. Two dogs (5%) were serologically positive for Dirofilaria immitis antigens, one (3%) was positive for Ehrlichia canis antibodies and nine (24nbsp;%) were positive for A. platys antibodies. Co-infections were frequent. Haemoplasma prevalence was highest (73%, 16/22) in Central Australia and lowest (22%, 2/9) in Western Australia (p = 0.017). In contrast, B. vogeli prevalence was low in Central Australia (18%, 4/22) but higher (78%, 7/9) in Western Australia (p = 0.003).ConclusionsThis is the first time haemoplasma infections, including a novel species, have been molecularly documented in Australian dogs. The wide regional variation in prevalence of some of the haemoparasite infections detected in this study warrants further investigation.

Faecal samples were collected from 57 clinically healthy kittens presented for initial vaccination, in the UK. Routine bacteriological examination identified Salmonella species in one and Campylobacter species in five samples. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detected the presence of Campylobacter species in a further four samples. Routine parasitological examination revealed Toxocara species ova in nine (including four kittens stated to have been administered an anthelmintic) and Isospora species in four samples. No Giardia or Cryptosporidium species were detected by routine methods. A Giardia species enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test kit designed for use in cats was positive in three kittens. A similar test kit designed for use in humans was negative in all samples and produced negative results even when known positive samples were tested. Potentially pathogenic enteric organisms were detected in 19 kittens by routine methods and 26 (prevalence 45%) by all methods. The high prevalence in asymptomatic kittens highlights the possibility that the detection of these organisms in kittens with gastrointestinal disease may be an incidental finding.

Five UK goat farms with high levels of lameness (prevalence 14-67 per cent) were investigated. On two farms (farms 1 and 2), the animals presented with typical footrot lesions. The remaining three farms (farms 3, 4 and 5) presented with infected lesions on the foot that did not resemble footrot. These lesions were observed to start from the white line or sole but the interdigital space was rarely affected. Swabs were processed by PCR to assess the presence of Dichelobacter nodosus and three specific treponeme groups (group 1: Treponema medium/Treponema vincentii-like, group 2: Treponema phagedenis-like and group 3: Treponema denticola/Treponema putidum-like) that are reported to be associated with bovine digital dermatitis and contagious ovine digital dermatitis. On farms 1 and 2, 85.7 per cent of samples were found to be positive for D nodosus while only 9.5 per cent were positive for treponeme groups 1, 2 and 3. In contrast, 5.3 per cent of samples from farms 3, 4 and 5 were positive for D nodosus, while 34.2, 68.4 and 36.8 per cent of samples from these farms tested positive for treponeme groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. T medium/T vincentii-like, T phagedenis-like and T denticola/T putidum-like treponemes were detected on foot lesions of lame goats suggesting that they have a role in the aetiology of this lameness, which has not previously been described in dairy goats.

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