title: Seroprevalence of spotted fever group Rickettsiae in dogs in Germany.
abstract: Tick-transmitted spotted fever group Rickettsiae (SFGR) are considered emerging disease pathogens in Europe. To assess the situation in Germany, a seroepidemiologic survey of dogs (n=605, which have never left Germany) was conducted to determine the prevalence of antibodies to SFGR. For this purpose, a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test for all SFGR was used. A total of 78% of the dogs were positive for antibodies of the SFGR, and there was a positive correlation between age, tick-infestation, and seropositivity. There was no correlation between clinical state, location, and seropositivity, suggesting that infection with rickettsia is neither related to the health condition of the dogs nor to their abode in Germany. According to our results, all of Germany can be considered as an endemic area for SFGR. This should be taken into account when assessing the epidemiology of human rickettsioses and their impact on public health.
authors: 1 Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München , Munich, Germany .
authors: Miriam
authors: M
authors: Wächter
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Pfeffer
authors: Nicole
authors: N
authors: Schulz
authors: Anneliese
authors: A
authors: Balling
authors: Aleksandra
authors: A
authors: Chirek
authors: Jan-Peter
authors: JP
authors: Bach
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Moritz
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Kohn
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Pachnicke
authors: Cornelia
authors: C
authors: Silaghi
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015047:Zoonoses
keywords: Antibodies; Dogs; Prevalence; Spotted fever group rickettsia