Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi in Stray Dogs from Southern Italy

Abstract

Borrelia burgdorferi is a bacterial pathogen transmitted by Ixodes ticks and is responsible for Lyme disease in both humans and dogs. The aim of this work was to evaluate B. burgdorferi diffusion among stray dogs in Palermo (Sicily, Italy) by serological methods in order to study the risk factors associated with the infection. Serum and blood samples of 316 dogs were collected from a shelter in Palermo, and were analyzed for the presence of antibodies against B. burgdorferi by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and of the ospA gene by real-time PCR, respectively. Seventeen sera (5.4%) were positive for the antibodies via IFA and one blood (0.3%) for ospA via real time PCR. On the basis of serological results, the evaluation of the potential risk factors (sex, age, breed and coat color) was carried out. The multivariate analysis indicated that male sex is a factor significantly associated with B. burgdorferi seropositivity. This study confirms that male dogs have a higher risk of developing the disease than females, and represents the first investigation on the spread of B. burgdorferi among stray dogs in Sicily.

Seropositivity to canine tick-borne pathogens in a population of sick dogs in Italy

“…In contrast, B. burgdorferi ( s.l. ) seroprevalence throughout Italy (83.5%) was higher than that previously reported from central (1.4%) and southern (5.4%-7.8%) regions [ 17 , 24 , 25 ]. These results need to be assessed cautiously given the study limitations (e.g.…”

“…Similarly, Borrelia burgdorferi ( s.l. ) is a zoonotic TBP reported in dogs from endemic regions, including many European countries such as Serbia, Italy and Croatia [ 11 , 12 , 17 , 18 ]. However, seroprevalence of this bacterium in dogs has been reported to be lower (i.e.…”

“…However, seroprevalence of this bacterium in dogs has been reported to be lower (i.e. 0.3–5.4%) than that observed for Rickettsiales [ 12 , 17 ] probably due to the sylvatic circulation of B. burgdorferi ( s.l. ) [ 19 ].…”

A Cross Sectional Study on Serological Prevalence of Ehrlichia canis and Rickettsia conorii in Different Canine Population of Sicily (South-Italy) during 2017–2019

“…Strays, as hosts of zoonotic pathogens, could represent a potential threat for human health. In Sicily, a high population of stray dogs in urban and peri urban areas is present [ 19 ], and this represents a known but yet underestimated problem [ 20 ]. Official data on the free-roaming stray population is not available.…”

Abandonment of dogs in Latin America: Strategies and ideas

“…From the perspective of public health [28], it is important to understand that dogs can be affected by over 100 zoonotic, bacterial [29], viral [30], and parasitic diseases [31][32][33] and may be carriers of diseases that include rabies [34][35][36][37], leptospirosis [38], hookworm disease, echinococcosis, leishmaniasis [39], ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, brucellosis [40], dirofilariasis [41], Bartonella spp. [42], cestodiasis, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, yersiniosis, helicobacter, Bordetella pertussis, Borrelia burgdorferi [43], and streptococcus, as well as staph infections, chlamydia, and scabies, among others [44,45]. Diseases like rabies exhibit a huge impact in some countries in Asia (China, India) and Africa, wherein studies identified 55,000 human deaths annually as a consequence of this disease.…”