title: Molecular survey and genetic characterization of tick-borne pathogens in dogs in metropolitan Recife (north-eastern Brazil).
abstract: To identify DNA of the main tick-borne pathogens in dogs from Recife (Brazil), polymerase chain reactions were carried out on blood samples of dogs treated at the Veterinary Hospital of the Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco from March 2007 to June 2008. The detection of DNA was performed using specific primers. Amplicons were analyzed through electrophoresis and sequencing. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using the UPGMA method, revealing that the sequences were closely related to those of strains from other geographic regions. Among the 205 blood samples analyzed, 48.78% was positive for Anaplasma platys; 38.04% was positive for Ehrlichia canis; 7.31% was positive for Babesia canis vogeli; and 0.49% was positive for Hepatozoon canis and Mycoplasma haemocanis. Coinfection of two or three pathogens was found in 23.9% (49/205) of the dogs. The subspecies B. canis vogeli was identified. Infection by H. canis and M. haemocanis is reported for the first time in dogs in the state of Pernambuco (Brazil). The data indicate that the main tick-borne pathogens in dogs in this region are E. canis and/or A. platys, followed by B. canis vogeli.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Flábio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Danillo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pimentel
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galindo
authors.forename: Marilia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rosas
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faustino
authors.forename: Leucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alves
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010271:Parasites / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers