Babesia spp. infection in dogs from rural areas of São Paulo State, Brazil.
The status of Babesia spp. infection in dogs from rural areas of São Paulo State, Brazil was studied. For this, 150 animals were examined by blood smears and by PCR; the presence of tick infestation was also investigated. By the blood smear examination, 3 animals (2%) were detected positive and by PCR for Babesia spp. 12 (8%) were positive, with bands visualized in 450 bp. Rhipicephalus sanguineus or Amblyomma spp. were found on 36 (24%) of the 150 dogs. Amblyomma species found were A. cajennense (9/36-25%) and A. ovale (9/36-25%). It was not possible to correlate the presence of R. sanguineus and the infection with Babesia spp. The sequencing of four positive samples demonstrated close identity with B. canis vogeli already characterized in Brazil.
O'Dwyer
Lucia Helena
LH
Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Biociências de Botucatu - IBB, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Distrito de Rubião Júnior, s/n, CP 237 CEP 18618-000 Botucatu - SP, Brasil. odwyer@ibb.unesp.br
Lopes
Viviane Von Ah
VV
Rubini
Adriano Stefani
AS
Paduan
Karina Dos Santos
Kdos S
Ribolla
Paulo Eduardo Martins
PE
D000818:Animals; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D001938:Brazil; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D012423:Rural Health