Babesiosis due to the canine Babesia microti-like small piroplasm in dogs - first report from Portugal and possible vertical transmission

Abstract

BackgroundCanine babesiosis (or piroplasmosis) is endemic in northern Portugal, but molecularly confirmed cases of infection with small piroplasms have not been reported in the country. Three German shepherd dogs - a bitch and its 2-month old pup and an unrelated male - clinically suspected of piroplasmosis were assessed for babesial infection.ResultsParasitemia with small piroplasms was detected by microscopy in two dogs. All three dogs were positive by PCR and the Babesia microti-like small piroplasm (syn. Theileria annae) was identified by DNA sequencing. These are the first confirmed cases of babesiosis caused by the B. microti-like piroplasm both in dogs from Portugal and in dogs suspected of clinical piroplasmosis outside of Spain.ConclusionsAlthough the bitch and the male had visited neighboring Galicia (northwestern Spain), where the disease is endemic, incursion of this piroplasm into northern Portugal is evident and infection of the non-traveled pup was due to either vertical transmission or autochthonous tick infection.

Epidemiological aspects on vector-borne infections in stray and pet dogs from Romania and Hungary with focus on Babesia spp.

“…(Boozer and Macintire 2005;Garcia 2006). Furthermore, other "small" Babesia spp., Theileria annae or Babesia microti-like Babesiae, are increasingly diagnosed in blood smears and consecutive PCR examination in dogs from Southern Europe (Camacho et al 2001;Beck et al 2009;Dezdek et al 2010;Simoes et al 2011). Autochthonous B. gibsoni infections in dogs, mainly in American Pitbull Terriers and dogs used in dog fighting, have been confirmed by PCR in several European countries within the last 10 years, e.g.…”

Tick-borne Diseases (Borreliosis, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis) in German and Austrian Dogs: Status quo and Review of Distribution, Transmission, Clinical Findings, Diagnostics and Prophylaxis

“…The provisional assignment of this agent as "Theileria annae" is controversial, because the organism is phylogenetically closer to Babesia microti. Typical features of the genus Theileria, such as pre-erythrocytic stages or paucity of transovarial transmission in the tick vector, have not been proven for B. annae (Dixit et al 2010;Simões et al 2011). One current study assign this organism as Babesia vulpes sp.…”

Canine Babesiosis: Where Do We Stand?

“…Among small Babesia species, Babesia microti-like sp. isolates have been identifi ed in Portugal [76], Spain [77], France [78], Croatia [23], Serbia [66] and Sweden [79]. Table 1 presents Babesia species currently identifi ed in dogs with relevant vector tick species and geographical distribution.…”