Dog survey in Russian veterinary hospitals: tick identification and molecular detection of tick-borne pathogens

Abstract

BackgroundSpecies of Canidae in Russia can be infested with up to 24 different tick species; however, the frequency of different tick species infesting domestic dogs across Russia is not known. In addition, tick-borne disease risks for domestic dogs in Russia are not well quantified. The goal of this study was to conduct a nationwide survey of ticks collected from infested dogs admitted to veterinary clinics in Russian cities and to identify pathogens found in these ticks.MethodsTicks feeding on dogs admitted to 32 veterinary clinics in 27 major cities across Russia were preserved in ethanol and submitted to a central facility for examination. After identification, each tick was evaluated for infection with known tick-borne pathogens using PCR.ResultsThere were 990 individual ticks collected from 636 dogs. All collected ticks belonged to the Ixodidae (hard ticks) and represented 11 species of four genera, Dermacentor, Ixodes, Rhipicephalus and Haemaphysalis. Four most common tick species were D. reticulatus, followed by I. persulcatus, I. ricinus and R. sanguineus. Ixodes persulcatus ticks were found to be infected with 10 different pathogens, and ticks of this species were more frequently infected than either D. reticulatus or I. ricinus. Ixodes persulcatus females were also more frequently co-infected with two or more pathogens than any other tick. Pathogenic species of five genera were detected in ticks: Anaplasma centrale, A. phagocytophilum and A. marginale; Babesia canis, B. microti, B. venatorum, B. divergens, B. crassa and B. vogeli; Borrelia miyamotoi, B. afzelii and B. garinii; Ehrlichia muris, E. canis and E. ruminantum; and Theileria cervi. Anaplasma marginale, E. canis, B. crassa, B. vogeli and T. cervi were detected in I. persulcatus, and Babesia canis in D. marginatum, for the first time in Russia.ConclusionsMultiple ticks from four genera and 11 species of the family Ixodidae were collected from domestic dogs across Russia. These ticks commonly carry pathogens and act as disease vectors. Ixodes persulcatus ticks present the greatest risk for transmission of multiple arthropod-borne pathogens.

Molecular Detection and Identification of Babesia spp., Theileria spp., and Anaplasma spp. in Sheep From Border Regions, Northwestern China

“…Furthermore, A. ovis (79.0%), A. bovis (24.7%), and A. phagocytophilum (28.4%) in Yecheng sheep in current study, while A. ovis (1.5%), A. marginale (5.7%), and A. centrale (2.7%) were identified in ticks from Pakistan, the country that Yecheng borders (25). Other border countries of XUAR also have reports about Anaplasma infection (A. bovis, A. centrale, A. phagocytophilum, and A. marginale) in ruminants or ticks including Russia (26), Philippines (27), and south India (28). Notably, A. capra, a newly discovered emerging zoonotic species of Anaplasma, was not identified in the current study, although it has been reported in both XUAR (only four positive samples) and Gansu of China (29,30).…”

Detection Of Selected Pathogens In Ixodid Ticks Collected From Animals And Vegetation In Five Regions Of Ukraine

“…In Russia, the prevalence rates of Babesia spp. for questing adults of I. ricinus and D. reticulatus were, respectively, 3.9% and 20.3% [67].…”

Molecular detection of spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks parasitizing pet dogs in Shihezi City, northwestern China

“…A diversity of tick-borne pathogens, including Anaplasma, Babesia, Borrelia, Ehrlichia and Theileriai spp. has recently been molecularly detected in Russia (Livanova et al 2018 ). This, together with the present findings, draw the attention to not-yet known risks associated with tick-borne rickettsiae in several regions of Asia.…”