Prevalence of Ehrlichia-, Babesia-, and Hepatozoon-infected brown dog ticks in Khon Kaen Province, Northeast Thailand

Abstract

Background and Aim: The brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, is the most common tick found on domestic dogs in Southeast Asia, including Thailand. Canine tick-borne pathogens are a public health concern worldwide. Tick-borne diseases are diagnosed by identifying pathogens based on the morphological or molecular analyses of dog blood samples. However, the collection of ticks, a non-invasive procedure, is easier than drawing blood. This study aimed to demonstrate the usefulness of collecting brown dog ticks for the diagnosis of tick-borne diseases and for estimating the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens among companion dogs in Khon Kaen, Northeast Thailand. Materials and Methods: Seventy brown dog ticks from 70 companion dogs in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand, were evaluated for molecular evidence of tick-borne pathogens, including Babesia spp., Ehrlichia canis, and Hepatozoon canis. Ticks were collected from dogs at a private animal hospital based on the presence of at least one of the three inclusion criteria: fever, anorexia, or lethargy. Molecular diagnosis was performed using conventional polymerase chain reaction for the detection of pathogens. Results: Of the 70 ticks collected from 70 sick dogs, 55 (78.57%) were positive for tick-borne pathogens. The most common infection was a single infection with H. canis (65.71%) followed by Babesia spp. (31.43%) and E. canis (30.00%). Coinfection was observed in 14 ticks (20.00%), and coinfection with Babesia spp. and E. canis was the most prevalent double infection (n = 6). The prevalence of coinfection was identical for H. canis mixed with Babesia spp. and H. canis mixed with E. canis (n = 4). Conclusion: The present study showed that tick-borne pathogens are highly prevalent among companion dogs in Khon Kaen Province. Therefore, we encourage an increase in tick control or the reduction and prevention of tick-borne diseases in this region. Furthermore, this study revealed that ticks are valuable samples for the molecular detection of tick-borne pathogens.

Tick-borne pathogens Ehrlichia, Hepatozoon, and Babesia co-infection in owned dogs in Central Thailand

“…The study in Northeast Thailand showed the high prevalence of H. canis (65.71%), followed by Babesia spp. (31.43%) and E. canis (30.0%), in brown dog ticks from infected dogs ( 25 ). In contrast, another research in same area found that E. canis is the most single pathogen in dogs (64.0%) and ticks (82.0%) ( 26 ).…”

Detección de material genético mediante reacción en cadena de polimerasa en muestras de caninos seropositivos a Ehrlichia canis

“…7-N° 2, 2023, pp. 1188-1200 Journal Scientific MQRInvestigar 1197 (Eamudomkarn et al, 2022). En nuestro estudio el 77,77 % (14/18) de pacientes con resultado positivo a Ehrlichia canis en la cPCR tuvieron presencia de garrapatas al momento de la consulta, si bien no se evaluaron directamente las garrapatas Rhipicephalus sanguineus hay que considerar que estos ectoparásitos albergan múltiples patógenos que afectan a humanos y caninos.…”