Molecular prevalence and factors associated with Babesia vogeli infection in dogs in the Cerrado Mato-Grossense region of Brazil

Abstract

Canine babesiosis is a common haemoparasitosis in Brazil. Caused by parasites of the genus Babesia, it is transmitted by ixodid ticks and affects domestic and wild canids. The objective of this study was to verify the prevalence of Babesia species (spp.) using molecular methods in dogs living in urban and rural areas of Cuiabá, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, and to identify the main factors associated with infection. A total of 407 samples from 407 dogs were evaluated using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, among which Babesia species (spp.) was amplified in 10 (2.5%). Although, no statistical association was found among the variables studied (p>0.05), greater positivity was observed in dogs<1 year of age, male sex, those with free access to the street, and the presence of ticks. PCR samples positive for Babesia spp. were submitted to sequencing and compared in GenBank and exhibited a high degree of similarity with Babesia vogeli sequences.

Microscopic Detection, Hematological Evaluation and Molecular Characterization of Piroplasms from Naturally Infected Dogs in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“…Several authors have highlighted that purebred dogs may have greater susceptibility to infection by Babesia spp., especially Pit Bulls [22,44,45]. Like in the present study, molecular techniques used on samples from dogs in Maranhão [46], Minas Gerais [32] and Mato Grosso [30] showed that infection with B. vogeli occurred more frequently in puppies. Dogs aged under 1 year seem to be more susceptible to infections because their immunological system is still developing.…”

“…Molecular analysis, i.e. the polymerase chain reaction, was used on samples from dogs in the urban and rural zones of the Cuiabá city, Mato Grosso [30]. In that study, positivity for B. vogeli was found through sequencing in 2.5% of the samples (10/407), i.e.…”

“…The molecular analyses of the present study only identified B. vogeli. In fact, B. vogeli is the piroplasmid species that has been most detected in dogs in different regions of Brazil [16,18,25,28,[30][31][32][35][36][37], and in other countries [37][38][39][40][41][42]. However, in addition to this species, the piroplasmid R. vitalii has also been detected in dogs in the southern region of Brazil and in municipalities in the mountain region of the state of Rio de Janeiro, by means of molecular tools [13,14,16].…”

Molecular evaluation of piroplasms and hematological changes in canine blood stored in a clinical laboratory in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro

“…All the sequences analyzed in this study were consistent with Babesia vogeli. In general, this has been the most frequently detected species in dogs in Brazil (Passos et al, 2005;Duarte et al, 2011;O'Dwyer et al, 2009;Spolidorio et al, 2011;Lemos et al, 2012, Moraes et al, 2015, Sousa et al, 2017Barbosa et al 2020, Castro et al, 2020 and also others countries as China, Sudan, Spain, Venezuela, Chile, and USA (Li et al, 2020;Oyamada et al, 2005;Criado-Fornelio et al, 2007;Di Cataldo et al, 2020;Rey-Valeiron et al, 2007;Passos et al, 2005).…”

“…In Brazil, few studies have been recovered from the literature that used the polymerase chain reaction followed by sequencing to accurately identify the species of piroplasms. In national literature, nucleotide sequences compatible with B. vogeli were identified in dogs of Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and Pará (Passos et al, 2005;O'Dwyer et al, 2009;Duarte et al, 2011;Spolidorio et al, 2011;Moraes et al, 2015;Sousa et al, 2017;Barbosa et al, 2020;Castro et al, 2020). Specifically in the state of Rio de Janeiro, compatible nucleotide sequence B. vogeli, was reported only one dog sample from the mountain region (Lemos et al, 2012).…”