<i>Ehrlichia canis</i> infection in a dog with no history of travel outside the United Kingdom

Wilson, Helen; Mugford, Adam; Humm, Karen; Kellett-Gregory, L. M.

doi:10.1111/jsap.12088

Cited by 17 publications

(12 citation statements)

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“…This species is the known principal vector for Lyme borreliosis and Anaplasma , louping ill virus (LIV) and various species of Babesia [ 2 , 6 , 30 ]. In mainland Europe I. ricinus also acts as a vector of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in humans and Ehrlichia canis ; the latter has been recorded recently for the first time in a non-travelled dog in the UK [ 31 ]. In a previous study, based on 56 veterinary practices and 280 animals in the UK, 52 % of dogs and cats with ticks carried I. ricinus , 39 % carried I. hexagonus , and 11 % were infested with I. canisuga [ 32 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ticks infesting domestic dogs in the UK: a large-scale surveillance programme

et al. 2016

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BackgroundRecent changes in the distribution of tick vectors and the incidence of tick-borne disease, driven variously by factors such as climate change, habitat modification, increasing host abundance and the increased movement of people and animals, highlight the importance of ongoing, active surveillance. This paper documents the results of a large-scale survey of tick abundance on dogs presented to veterinary practices in the UK, using a participatory approach that allows relatively cost- and time-effective extensive data collection.MethodsOver a period of 16 weeks (April–July 2015), 1094 veterinary practices were recruited to monitor tick attachment to dogs and provided with a tick collection and submission protocol. Recruitment was encouraged through a national publicity and communication initiative. Participating practices were asked to select five dogs at random each week and undertake a thorough, standardized examination of each dog for ticks. The clinical history and any ticks were then sent to the investigators for identification.ResultsA total of 12,000 and 96 dogs were examined and 6555 tick samples from infested dogs were received. Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus) was identified on 5265 dogs (89 %), Ixodes hexagonus Leach on 577 (9.8 %) and Ixodes canisuga Johnston on 46 (0.8 %). Ten dogs had Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius), one had Dermacentor variabilis (Say), three had Haemaphysalis punctata Canesteini & Fanzago and 13 had Rhipicephalus sanguineus Latreille. 640 ticks were too damaged for identification. All the R. sanguineus and the single D. variabilis were on dogs with a recent history of travel outside the UK. The overall prevalence of tick attachment was 30 % (range 28–32 %). The relatively high prevalence recorded is likely to have been inflated by the method of participant recruitment.ConclusionThe data presented provide a comprehensive spatial understanding of tick distribution and species abundance in the UK against which future changes can be compared. Relative prevalence maps show the highest rates in Scotland and south west England providing a valuable guide to tick-bite risk in the UK.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ticks infesting domestic dogs in the UK: a large-scale surveillance programme

et al. 2016

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“…As the number of samples tested was very small, any conclusion drawn from these results should be tentative. However, it is not surprising that E. canis and F. tularensis infection were not found as E. canis in British dogs has so far been largely (although not completely) limited to those with a history of travel to mainland Europe [29], and F. tularensis has never been reported in Great Britain, Ireland or Iceland [30]. A novel Ehrlichia sp.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Detection of Arthropod-Borne Pathogens in Eurasian Badgers (Meles meles) from the United Kingdom

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Ebani

Verin

et al. 2020

Animals

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Arthropod-borne diseases (ABD) are of increasing interest in veterinary and public health. Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) are known to harbor a wide range of pathogens, but information on their role as ABD reservoirs and their potential epidemiological relevance is limited. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of arthropod-borne pathogens, specifically piroplasmids and the bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia canis, Coxiella burnetii, Francisella tularensis and Bartonella spp., in badgers from Great Britain (GB). Blood and heart samples from 18 badgers were examined using PCR and sequencing. A neighbour-joining (NJ) phylogram was also produced. Nine animals tested positive for Babesia sp., while none of the samples was positive for the investigated bacteria. The sequences obtained clustered with other sequences of Babesia sp. from badgers from GB and elsewhere, including China, Hungary, Spain and Italy, showing a widespread distribution of this parasite in badgers. Badger-associated Babesia DNA was also found recently in a wild cat in Bosnia Herzegovina, in a wolf in Italy and in dogs in Hungary. Further investigations are needed to understand the epidemiology of this putative pathogen and its impact on the health of wild and domestic carnivores.

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“…If cases from the south are genuinely overrepresented, it might be because of the easier connections to Europe and warmer weather. The climate has recently changed enough to support the transmission and diffusion of other vector‐borne diseases in the southern part of the UK (Medlock et al , Wilson et al ). However, to date a vector of Leishmania infantum has not been found in the UK and sand flies that are introduced into the country by car or plane likely die soon after arrival because of the weather.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%