title: A serological and molecular survey of Babesia vogeli, Ehrlichia canis and Rickettsia spp. among dogs in the state of Maranhão, northeastern Brazil.
abstract: This study evaluated exposure and infection by tick-borne agents (Babesia vogeli, Ehrlichia canis and Rickettsia spp.) in 172 dogs in rural areas and 150 dogs in urban areas of the municipality of Chapadinha, state of Maranhão, northeastern Brazil, using molecular and serological methods. Overall, 16.1% of the sampled dogs (52/322) were seroreactive to B. vogeli, with endpoint titers ranging from 40 to 640. For E. canis, 14.6% of the dogs (47/322) were seroreactive, with endpoint titers from 80 to 163,840. Antibodies reactive to at least one of the five species of Rickettsia were detected in 18.9% of the dogs (61/322), with endpoint titers ranging from 64 to 4,096. High endpoint titers were observed for Rickettsia amblyommii. Three (0.9%) and nine (2.8%) canine blood samples were PCR-positive for Babesia spp. and E. canis. The ticks collected from urban dogs were all Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, whereas the rural dogs were infested by R. sanguineus s.l, Amblyomma cajennense sensu lato and Amblyomma ovale. One A. ovale tick was found to be infected by Rickettsia bellii. This study provides an epidemiological background for controlling and preventing canine tick-borne diseases in a neglected region of Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Andréa Pereira
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Francisco Borges
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marcelo Bahia
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Labruna
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Iara
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moraes-Filho
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: João Fábio
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Doenças Parasitárias, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Mariana Granziera
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Spolidorio
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Parasitologia, Curso de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: Rita de Maria Seabra Nogueira de Candanedo
authors.initials: Rde M
authors.lastname: Guerra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004285:Dogs; D041061:Ehrlichia canis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D016054:DNA, Protozoan