Molecular detection of vector borne pathogens in anemic and thrombocytopenic dogs in southern Brazil

Abstract

Arthropod-borne pathogens are medically important because of their ability to cause diseases in their hosts. The purpose of this study was to detect the occurrence of Ehrlichia spp., piroplasmids and Hepatozoon spp. in dogs with anemia and thrombocytopenia in southern Brazil. EDTA-whole blood was collected from 75 domestic dogs presenting anemia or/and thrombocytopenia from Guarapuava, state of Paraná, Brazil. DNA samples were subjected to conventional PCR assays for Ehrlichia spp. (dsb), piroplasmids (18S rRNA) and Hepatozoon spp. (18S rRNA), followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analyses. Among the 75 dogs, one (1.33%) was positive for Hepatozoon sp. and six (8%) were positive for piroplasmids in 18S rRNA cPCR assays. None of the dogs showed positive results in Ehrlichia spp.-cPCR targeting dsb gene. The phylogenetic analyses revealed that three piroplasm sequences were clustered with Rangellia vitalii, while one sequence was grouped with B. vogeli. The only sequence obtained from Hepatozoon spp.-PCR protocol was pooled with H. canis. Therefore, there is urgent need for differential molecular diagnosis of the two piroplasm species cited as etiological agents in clinical cases of canine hemoparasitic diseases, given the higher pathogenic potential of R. vitalii than of B. vogeli.

Survey of protozoan vector-borne diseases in dogs from Atlantic Rainforest fragment around Billings Dam, São Paulo, Brazil

“…In the present study, 20.9% of dogs were positive for Babesia vogeli, which is much higher than previous studies conducted in São Paulo and other locations in the Southeast region of Brazil (SILVA et al, 2014;O'DWYER et al, 2009;MONGRUEL et al, 2018). It is known that high canine population density favors both an increase in the number of R. sanguineus ticks and their permanence in the environment, as well as pathogen circulation in the population.…”

“…In Brazil, it is responsible for 90% of all human and canine (PAHO, 2019). Lutzomyia longipalpis is the main vector, which is widely distributed (KRAUSPENHAR et al, 2003;MONGRUEL et. al., 2018), but other species of this genus are also considered vectors (WALKER et al, 2000;MORAES-FILHO et al, 2011;DANTAS-TORRES et al, 2019).…”

“…Rangelia vitalli, the causative agent of canine rangeliosis, is a protozoan piroplasma that infects erythrocytes, leukocytes, and endothelial cells in dogs (CARINE et al, 1914;FIGHERA et al, 2010;MONGRUEL, 2018). It is more common in wild canids because its unique vector, the tick Amblyomma aureolatum, is exclusively found in areas of the Atlantic rainforest where the temperature and humidity conditions are favorable for its development (SOARES et al, 2018;DANTAS-TORRES et al, 2019).…”

Survey of vector-borne and nematode parasites involved in the etiology of anemic syndrome in sheep from Southern Brazil

“…(Almeida et al, 2012). Anaplasma marginale and Babesia vogeli DNA obtained from naturally infected cattle (de Souza Ramos et al, 2019) and dogs (Mongruel et al, 2018), respectively, were used as positive controls. Nuclease-free water was used as negative control.…”

Implications of domestic dogs in the epidemiology of Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest and Rangelia vitalii in Southeastern Brazil

“…In the Atlantic rainforests of Southeastern Brazil, adults of two tick species, namely Amblyomma aureolatum and Amblyomma ovale, parasitize wild canids such as Cerdocyon thous and Lycalopex vetulus, and are implied in the transmission of pathogenic Rangelia vitalli and Rickettsia spp. (Labruna et al, 2001(Labruna et al, , 2011Saito et al, 2008;Soares et al, 2014;Malheiros et al, 2016;Soares et al, 2018;Mongruel et al, 2018). Meanwhile, dogs entering Atlantic rainforest areas can also host adults of both tick species (Sabatini et al, 2010;Ogrzewalska et al, 2012;Ferreira et al, 2013;Londoño et al, 2014;Gottlieb et al, 2016), yet in particular, adults of A. ovale (Martins et al, 2012;Londoño et al, 2014;Krawczak et al, 2016).…”