Identification of vector-borne pathogens in dogs and cats from Southern Brazil

Abstract

Dogs and cats are often infected with vector-borne pathogens and play a crucial role as reservoirs and hosts in their life cycles. The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of vector-borne pathogens among dogs and cats in the northwestern region of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) State, Brazil. One hundred and ten blood samples were collected from dogs (n=80) and cats (n=30). Laboratory analysis were carried out through stained blood smears, indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for Babesia vogeli and Ehrlichia canis (only for dogs) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) aiming the detection of pathogens. The following pathogens were screened by PCR among dogs and cats: Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon spp. (18S rRNA gene), Anaplasma spp. (16S rRNA gene), and Ehrlichia spp. (dsb gene for dogs and 16S rRNA gene for cats) and Bartonella spp. (nuoG gene only for cats). Using blood smears structures morphologically compatible with piroplasms were found in 5.45% (6/110) of the samples. Anti-B. vogeli and anti-E. canis antibodies were detected in 91% (73/80) and 9% (7/80) of the dogs, respectively. All the seropositive dogs to E. canis were also to B. vogeli. Nineteen (17.3%) animals were positive to hemoparasites by PCR. After sequencing Rangelia vitalii 6/80 (7.5%), B. vogeli 3/80 (4%), Hepatozoon spp. 1/80 (1%), and Anaplasma spp. 1/80 (1%) were found in the dogs, and B. vogeli 2/30 (7%) and Bartonella spp. 6/30 (20%) were detected in the screened cats. No sample was positive for genes dsb and 16S rRNA of Ehrlichia spp. Only those animals which were positive for R. vitalii showed findings compatible with rangeliosis, such as anemia (100%), thrombocytopenia (67%), jaundice (50%), external bleeding (50%), and anorexia (50%). This is the first time that B. vogeli detected among cats in Southern Brazil.

Molecular Detection of Rangelia Vitalii in a Dog From the Curitiba Metropolitan Region, Parana State, Southern Brazil

“…Previous studies have shown a low prevalence of CVBD in neighborhoods dogs from Curitiba (Constantino et al, 2017). Conversely, R. vitalli have been detected infecting domestic and wild canids from the States of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, southern Brazil (Gottlieb et al, 2016;Malheiros et al, 2016;Quadros et al, 2015). In the present study, besides ticks have not been visualized during sampling, A. aureolatum and R. sanguineus s.l.…”

“…Several emerging vector-borne pathogens have also been described and may represent a challenge in diagnosis, since clinical signs may be misinterpret (DantasTorres and Otranto, 2016). The piroplasm Rangelia vitalii is etiological agent of canine rangeliosis, and have been described infecting domestic and wild canids in South America (Eiras et al, 2014;Quadros et al, 2015;Soares et al, 2015Soares et al, , 2014, mainly in the South and Southeastern Brazilian states (Gottlieb et al, 2016;Lemos et al, 2017;Malheiros et al, 2016;Quadros et al, 2015;Silveira et al, 2016;Soares et al, 2014Soares et al, , 2011. Canine rangeliosis may cause a variety of clinical signs, such as apathy, intermittent fever, ear's margin bleeding and anemia (França et al, 2014), with an average lethality rate of 33,3% (Soares, 2014).…”

Is the free-ranging jaguar (Panthera onca) a reservoir for Cytauxzoon felis in Brazil?

“…Feline babesiosis was diagnosed and has been reported regularly in South Africa (Ayoob et al, 2010;Penzhorn et al, 2004). In Brazil, B. vogeli was recently detected in domestic cats from São Paulo (André et al, 2014), Mato Grosso (André et al, 2015) and Rio Grande do Sul (Malheiros et al, 2016). Regarding the wild felids, Babesia closely related to B. leo was detected in a pampas cat kept in captivity (André et al, 2011).…”

Molecular identification of Bartonella bacilliformis in ticks collected from two species of wild mammals in Madre de Dios: Peru

“…isolation in arthropods is one the best available options to investigative potential vectors for these bacteria [21, 34]. However, the role of ticks in B. bacilliformis transmission is unknown; in contrast to other species of Bartonella which have been previously described as transmitted by ticks [4, 21–23]. …”

“…are discovered, the list of reservoir-adapted species and potential vectors for transmission is growing at a fast pace [20]. Furthermore, ticks have been extensively described as vectors for B. birtlesii , B. henselae , B. grahamii , B. chomelii , among other species of Bartonella , but not for B. bacilliformis yet [4, 21–23]. The aim of the present investigation is to study tick species as potential vectors for B. bacilliformis transmission via real-time PCR detection in ticks collected from two areas located in Madre de Dios, Peru.…”