title: Prevalence of Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, Babesia canis vogeli, Hepatozoon canis, Bartonella vinsonii berkhoffii, and Rickettsia spp. in dogs from Grenada.
abstract: To identify the tick-borne pathogens in dogs from Grenada, we conducted a serologic survey for Ehrlichia canis in 2004 (104 dogs) and a comprehensive serologic and molecular survey for a variety of tick-borne pathogens in 2006 (73 dogs). In 2004 and 2006, 44 and 32 dogs (42.3% and 43.8%) were seropositive for E. canis, respectively. In 2006, several tick-borne pathogens were identified by serology and PCR. DNA of E. canis, Anaplasma platys, Babesia canis vogeli, Hepatozoon canis, and Bartonella sp. were identified in 18 (24.7%), 14 (19.2%), 5 (7%), 5 (7%), and 1 (1.4%) dogs, respectively. Six (8.2%) dogs were seropositive for Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii. All dogs were seronegative and PCR-negative for Rickettsia spp. Coinfection with two or three pathogens was observed in eight dogs. Partial 16S rRNA E. canis and A. platys sequences were identical to sequences in GenBank. Partial 18S rRNA gene sequences from the Grenadian H. canis were identical to each other and had one possible mismatch (ambiguous base) from H. canis detected from Spain and Brazil. Grenadian B. c. vogeli sequences were identical to B. c. vogeli from Brazil and Japan. All of the detected pathogens are transmitted, or suspected to be transmitted, by Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Results of this study indicate that dogs from Grenada are infected with multiple tick-borne pathogens; therefore, tick-borne diseases should be included as differentials for dogs exhibiting thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, fever, or lethargy. One pathogen, E. canis, is also of potential public health significance.
authors.affiliation: D.B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, United States. myabsley@uga.edu
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Yabsley
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McKibben
authors.forename: Calum N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Macpherson
authors.forename: Peggy F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Cattan
authors.forename: Natalie A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Cherry
authors.forename: Barbara C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Hegarty
authors.forename: Edward B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Breitschwerdt
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Ramaswamy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chandrashekar
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Paterson
authors.forename: Marta Lanza
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Perea
authors.forename: Geoffrey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Friesen
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goedde
authors.forename: Brooke
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: Wayne
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sylvester
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001403:Babesia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003044:Coccidia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D019425:Grenada / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D015995:Prevalence; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D048508:Rhipicephalus sanguineus / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S