title: Leishmania, Babesia and Ehrlichia in urban pet dogs: co-infection or cross-reaction in serological methods?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study was designed to assess the occurrence of co-infection or cross-reaction in the serological techniques used for detecting the anti-Leishmania spp., -Babesia canis vogeli and -Ehrlichia canis antibodies in urban dogs from an area endemic to these parasites.
  
  
  METHODS
  The serum samples from dogs were tested for the Babesia canis vogeli strain Belo Horizonte antigen and Ehrlichia canis strain São Paulo by immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and by anti-Leishmania immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody detection to assess Leishmania infection. We used the following four commercial kits for canine visceral leishmaniasis: ELISA, IFAT, Dual Path Platform (DPP) (Bio Manguinhos(r)/FIOCRUZ/MS) and a rK39 RDT (Kalazar Detect Canine Rapid Test; Inbios).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 96 serum samples submitted to serological assays, 4 (4.2%) were positive for Leishmania as determined by ELISA; 12 (12.5%), by IFAT; 14 (14.6%) by rK39 RDT; and 20 (20.8%), by DPP. Antibodies against Ehrlichia and Babesia were detected in 23/96 (23.9%) and 30/96 (31.2%) samples, respectively. No significant association was identified between the results of tests for detecting Babesia or Ehrlichia and those for detecting Leishmania (p-value>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study, we demonstrated co-infection with Ehrlichia or Babesia and Leishmania in dogs from Minas Gerais (Brazil); we also found that the serological tests that were used did not cross-react.
authors: Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Felipe da Silva
authors: Fda S
authors: Krawczak
authors: Departamento de Estatística, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Ilka Afonso
authors: IA
authors: Reis
authors: Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Julia Angélica da
authors: JA
authors: Silveira
authors: Serviço de Doenças Parasitárias, Divisão de Epidemiologia e Controle de Doenças, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Daniel Moreira
authors: DM
authors: Avelar
authors: Serviço de Doenças Parasitárias, Divisão de Epidemiologia e Controle de Doenças, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Andreza Pain
authors: AP
authors: Marcelino
authors: Departamento de Epidemiologia, Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors: Guilherme Loureiro
authors: GL
authors: Werneck
authors: Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Marcelo Bahia
authors: MB
authors: Labruna
authors: Grupo de Estudos em Leishmanioses, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Gustavo Fontes
authors: GF
authors: Paz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D060085:Coinfection / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004285:Dogs; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D019353:Endemic Diseases / Q000662:veterinary*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan