title: A parasitological, molecular and serological survey of Hepatozoon canis infection in dogs around the Aegean coast of Turkey.
abstract: Canine hepatozoonosis is caused by the tick-borne protozoon Hepatozoon spp. The prevalence of the infection in the Aegean coast of Turkey was investigated by examination of blood smear parasitology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using blood samples from 349 dogs collected from Central Aydin, Kusadasi, Selcuk, Central Manisa, Bodrum and Marmaris within the Aegean coast of Turkey. The indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) for the detection of Hepatozoon canis antibodies was also used to detect the exposure rate to H. canis. PCR amplifying a 666bp fragment of 18S rRNA gene of Hepatozoon spp. was used in the epidemiological survey. The prevalence of Hepatozoon spp. infection was 10.6% by blood smear parasitology and 25.8% by PCR. IFAT revealed that 36.8% of serum samples were positive for antibodies reactive with Hepatozoon spp. The PCR products of 18S rRNA gene of Hepatozoon spp. isolated from six infected dogs, one isolate originating from each of the six different locations, were sequenced. The results of sequence analysis indicate that they are closely related to Indian and Japanese isolates of H. canis. This is the first epidemiological study on the prevalence of H. canis infection in the dog, in Turkey.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Adnan Menderes, Aydin, Turkey. tulinkaragenc@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Tulin Ilhan
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Karagenc
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pasa
authors.forename: Gulcan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kirli
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hosgor
authors.forename: Huseyin Bilgin
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Bilgic
authors.forename: Yavuz Hakan
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ozon
authors.forename: Abidin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Atasoy
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Eren
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D016783:Eucoccidiida / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S