title: Ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, anaplasmosis and hepatozoonosis in dogs from St. Kitts, West Indies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although tick-borne diseases are important causes of morbidity and mortality in dogs in tropical areas, there is little information on the agents causing these infections in the Caribbean.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used PCRs to test blood from a cross-section of dogs on St Kitts for Ehrlichia (E.) canis, Babesia (B.) spp., Anaplasma (A.) spp. and Hepatozoon (H.) spp. Antibodies against E. canis and A. phagocytophilum/platys were detected using commercial immunochromatography tests. Records of the dogs were examined retrospectively to obtain clinical and laboratory data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was serological and/or PCR evidence of infections of dogs with E. canis (27%; 46/170), Babesia spp. (24%; 90/372) including B. canis vogeli (12%; 43/372) and B. gibsoni (10%; 36/372), A. platys (11%; 17/157) and H. canis (6%; 15/266). We could not identify the Babesia sp. detected in nine dogs. There was evidence of multiple infections with dual infections with E. canis and B. canis vogeli (8%; 14/179) or B. gibsoni (7%; 11/170) being the most common. There was agreement between immunochromatography and PCR test results for E. canis for 87% of dogs. Only 13% of exposed dogs had signs of a tick-borne disease and 38% had laboratory abnormalities. All 10 dogs presenting for a recheck after treatment of E. canis with doxycycline were apparently healthy although all remained seropositive and six still had laboratory abnormalities despite an average of two treatments with the most recent being around 12 months previously. Infections with Babesia spp. were also mainly subclinical with only 6% (4/67) showing clinical signs and 13% (9/67) having laboratory abnormalities. Similarly, animals with evidence of infections with A. platys and H. canis were largely apparently healthy with only occasional laboratory abnormalities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dogs are commonly infected with tick-borne pathogens in the Caribbean with most having no clinical signs or laboratory abnormalities.
authors: Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, St. Kitts, West Indies.
authors: Patrick J
authors: PJ
authors: Kelly
authors: Chuanling
authors: C
authors: Xu
authors: Helene
authors: H
authors: Lucas
authors: Amanda
authors: A
authors: Loftis
authors: Jamie
authors: J
authors: Abete
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Zeoli
authors: Audrey
authors: A
authors: Stevens
authors: Kirsten
authors: K
authors: Jaegersen
authors: Kate
authors: K
authors: Ackerson
authors: April
authors: A
authors: Gessner
authors: Bernhard
authors: B
authors: Kaltenboeck
authors: Chengming
authors: C
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000709:Anaplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000712:Anaplasmosis; D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004285:Dogs; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000662:veterinary*; D014900:West Indies / Q000453:epidemiology