Vector-Borne Pathogens in Guard Dogs in Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Canine vector-borne diseases are of great relevance not only regarding animal welfare but also in relation to the One Health concept. Knowledge concerning the most relevant vector-borne pathogens in dogs is scarce and limited to stray dogs in most western African regions, and there is virtually no information about the situation in kept dogs presenting (regularly) to vets. Therefore, the blood samples of 150 owned guard dogs in the Ibadan area—in the southwest of Nigeria—were collected and analyzed for the DNA of Piroplasmida (Babesia, Hepatozoon, Theileria), Filarioidea (e.g., Dirofilaria immitis, Dirofilaria repens), Anaplasmataceae (e.g., Anaplasma, Ehrlichia), Trypanosomatidae (e.g., Leishmania, Trypanosoma), Rickettsia, Bartonella, Borrelia and hemotropic Mycoplasma using molecular methods. Overall, samples from 18 dogs (12%) tested positive for at least one pathogen. Hepatozoon canis (6%) was the most prevalent blood parasite, followed by Babesia rossi (4%). There was a single positive sample each for Babesia vogeli (0.6%) and Anaplasma platys (0.6%). Moreover, one mixed infection with Trypanosoma brucei/evansi and Trypanosoma congolense kilifi was confirmed (0.67%). Generally, the prevalence of vector-borne pathogens in this sample group of owned dogs in southwest Nigeria was lower than in prior studies from the country and in other parts of Africa in total. This leads to the assumption that, firstly, the exact geographical location has a major influence on the incidence of vector-borne diseases, and, secondly, it seems to make a difference if the dogs are owned and, therefore, regularly checked at a veterinary clinic. This study should raise awareness of the importance of routine health check-ups, tick and mosquito prophylaxis, and a well-managed infectious disease control program to prevent vector-borne diseases in canines.

Canine Babesiosis Caused by Large Babesia Species: Global Prevalence and Risk Factors—A Review

“…In 2017, Takeet et al [ 60 ] determined the prevalence of B. rossi in Abeokuta (capital city of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria), revealing that 39 of 209 dogs with unknown health status (18.7%) presented to various veterinary clinics and the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta were infected with the parasite [ 60 ]. However, another study from southwest Nigeria (Ibadan in Oyo State) found only 6 of 150 presumably both symptomatic and asymptomatic domestic guard dogs (4%) treated in a private veterinary clinic and the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in University of Ibadan were infected with B. rossi [ 61 ].…”

Tick-Borne Diseases of Humans and Animals in West Africa

“…While A. platys is mainly a canine pathogen, it can occasionally be found in other animals such as cats, foxes, Bactrian camels, deer, sika deer, cattle, and humans [106]. In West Africa, the DNA of A. platys has been detected in dogs, camels, and cattle from Nigeria [55,113,[117][118][119], dogs from the Maio Island in the Cape Verde archipelago [120,121], dogs from Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire [71,73,118], and dogs, cattle, goats, and sheep from Senegal [68,105]. In ticks, the DNA of A. platys has been identified in Rh.…”

“…Antibodies against E. canis have only been reported in West Africa from dogs in Côte d'Ivoire [136,137]. The DNA of E. canis has been found in dogs from Nigeria [38,55,[117][118][119][138][139][140][141], Senegal [68,142], Ghana [73], Cape Verde [120,121], and Côte d'Ivoire [143]. In ticks, the DNA of E. canis was detected in Rh.…”

“…sanguineus s.l., with infections resulting in dogs being asymptomatic or developing serious and sometimes fatal signs including fever, lethargy, anaemia, cachexia, weight loss, and hind limb weakness [211]. In West Africa, H. canis DNA has been reported in dogs in Nigeria [117,118,140,212], Cape Verde [120,121,203], and Ghana [73,118]. Recently, H. canis and two Hepatozoon spp., closely related to Hepatozoon spp.…”

Molecular detection of <i>Hepatozoon canis</i> in dogs from Ibagué, Tolima

“…This disease has a worldwide distribution in tropical, subtropical, and temperate countries in Europe [30], Asia [2], Africa [18], and North and South America [26], including Colombia [6].…”