Dogs (Canis familiaris) as Sentinels for Human Infectious Disease and Application to Canadian Populations: A Systematic Review

Abstract

In a world where climate change, vector expansion, human activity, and pathogen dispersal do not respect boundaries, the human–animal–pathogen interface has become less defined. Consequently, a One Health approach to disease surveillance and control has generated much interest across several disciplines. This systematic review evaluates current global research on the use of domestic dogs as sentinels for human infectious disease, and critically appraises how this may be applied within Canada. Results highlighted a bias in research from high- and middle-income-economy countries, with 35% of the studies describing data from the Latin America/Caribbean region, 25% from North America, and 11% from the European/Central Asia region. Bacteria were the most studied type of infectious agent, followed by protozoa, viruses, helminths, and fungi. Only six out of 142 studies described disease in Canada: four researched a variety of pathogens within Indigenous communities, one researched Borrelia burgdorferi in British Columbia, and one researched arboviruses in Quebec. Results from this review suggest that dogs could provide excellent sentinels for certain infectious-disease pathogens in Canada, yet are currently overlooked. Further research into the use of dog-sentinel surveillance is specifically recommended for California serogroup viruses, Chikungunya virus, West Nile virus, Lyme borreliosis, Rickettsia spp., Ehrlichia spp., and Dirofilaria immitis.

An exploratory analysis of demography and movement patterns of dogs: New insights in the ecology of endemic Rocky Mountain-Spotted Fever in Mexicali, Mexico

“…Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) have featured in human civilization for tens of thousands of years, providing protection, assistance hunting, companionship, and other services [1,2]. However, dogs share pathogens and parasites with humans, in some cases bridging disease from other animals including wildlife to people, serving as reservoirs for shared disease agents, and acting as sentinels for human risk [3]. Dogs with greater roles in human disease ecology include those that interact with wildlife or roam free, those in populations characterized by rapid turnover (due to high mortality or fecundity rates), and those subject to low standards of veterinary care including vaccination.…”

A broad insight onto the distribution pattern of Dirofilaria immitis in community dogs in Nepal

“…Nonetheless, the inflammatory response against the parasites induces so-called "coin lesions" potentially misdiagnosed as tumors [6]. Overall, dirofilariosis in dogs and humans is extremely relevant and requires attention by public health authorities and veterinary bodies, ultimately involving a constant need for up to date epidemiological information on the distribution of the parasite [2,7,8].…”

Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) as sentinels for parasitic zoonoses, Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella nativa, in the northeastern Canadian Arctic

“…Other important characteristics of a key sentinel species include having a widespread distribution, a restricted home range, the ability to bioaccumulate a hazard, susceptibility to the hazard, and continuous residency in the local environment ( Basu et al, 2006 ; Landres et al, 1988 ). An ideal sentinel species should also have increased exposure (higher trophic position in the food chain) compared to the target population, yet not pose a risk for pathogen transmission to the target population ( Bowser and Anderson, 2018 ). Foxes can be exposed to both oocysts and tissue cysts of T. gondii and have a high probability of being infected with T. gondii if it occurs in the local environment.…”