title: Questionnaire-based survey on the distribution and incidence of canine babesiosis in countries of Western Europe.
abstract: The incidence of canine babesiosis may vary considerably from one country to another depending on the distribution of the causative parasite species and their specific vectors. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical occurrence of canine babesiosis diagnosed in European veterinary clinics and propose an updated map of the disease distribution in Western Europe. Questionnaires were sent to companion animal veterinary clinics in Spain, France, Benelux, Germany and Austria. The annual number of babesiosis cases in 2010, the number of practitioners in the clinic and the location of the clinic were recorded. The total numbers of dogs and practitioners in each country were used for definition of the reference populations and the annual incidence of canine babesiosis was calculated by dividing the total number of reported babesiosis cases by the total number of dogs in the veterinary practices involved in the study. Data were georeferenced for distribution map construction. The overall annual incidence of clinical babesiosis amongst the investigated dog population was 0.7%, with significant variations amongst countries and regions. Three epidemiological situations were described: (i) Spain, with co-existence of several species of piroplasms and patchy distribution of babesiosis, (ii) France, with overall presence of babesiosis due to Babesia canis and local variations and (iii) Benelux, Germany and Austria, with overall low prevalence of the disease associated with localised description related either to imported cases or to small autochthonous foci of B. canis infection.
authors.affiliation: Merial, 29 avenue Tony Garnier, 69007 Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Lénaïg
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Halos
authors.affiliation: INRA, UR346, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lebert
authors.affiliation: INRA, UR346, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abrial
authors.affiliation: Merial Benelux, Leonardo Da Vincilaan 19, 1831 Diegem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Fabien
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Danlois
authors.affiliation: Merial GmbH Am Söldnermoos 6, 85399 Hallbergmoos, Germany.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Garzik
authors.affiliation: Merial, 29 avenue Tony Garnier, 69007 Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rodes
authors.affiliation: Merial GmbH Am Söldnermoos 6, 85399 Hallbergmoos, Germany.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schillmeier
authors.affiliation: INRA, UR346, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ducrot
authors.affiliation: BIPAR, UMR ENVA, ANSES, UPEC, Dynamyc, École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UPE, 94704 Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guillot
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D062305:Geographic Mapping; D006306:Health Surveys; D006762:Hospitals, Animal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015994:Incidence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018634:Veterinarians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data