title: Canine babesiosis in northwestern India: molecular detection and assessment of risk factors.
abstract: In the current study, a total of 214 blood samples from dogs in and around Ludhiana, Punjab (India), suspected for canine babesiosis were examined with conventional and molecular assays. Examination of Giemsa-stained peripheral thin blood smears revealed an overall prevalence of 7.47% (16/214) for canine babesiosis encompassing 0.93% (2/214) of large Babesia and 6.54% (14/214) of Babesia gibsoni. However, molecular diagnosis revealed 15.42% (33/214) samples positive for B. gibsoni infection as evident by the presence of 671 bp amplicon. The results of multivariate analysis showed that the prevalence of B. gibsoni was associated with various risk factors, namely, age (P<0.001; OR: 0.398; CI 95%: 0.080-1.799), sex (P=0.022; OR: 0.849; CI 95%: 0.403-1.791), breed of host (P=0.371; OR: 3.345; CI 95%: 1.045-10.710), and season (P=0.230; OR: 2.143; CI 95%: 0.788-5.830). The prevalence of B. gibsoni was higher in summer as compared to winter season and in younger dogs, while breed and sex of the host were not significantly associated with the occurrence of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab 141 004, India.
authors.forename: Amritpal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab 141 004, India.
authors.forename: Harkirat
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1709-4480
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab 141 004, India.
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab 141 004, India.
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Animal Disease Research Centre, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab 141 004, India.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Rath
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D057089:Pathology, Molecular; D012307:Risk Factors