title: Analysis of risk factors and prevalence of haemoplasma infection in dogs.
abstract: Mycoplasma haemocanis (Mhc) and 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum' (CMhp) are canine haemoplasma species that can induce anaemia in immunocompromised and/or splenectomised dogs. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and phylogeny of canine haemoplasma species in dogs from Nigeria and describe any risk factors for infection. Canine haemoplasma species-specific and generic haemoplasma qPCR assays were used. The species-specific qPCR assays found Mhc infection in 18 of 245 dogs (7.3%), and CMhp infection in only one dog (0.4%). The generic haemoplasma qPCR assays were positive in 44 of 245 (17.9%) dogs. Twenty-five dogs had discordant qPCR results in that they were generic haemoplasma qPCR positive but species-specific qPCR negative. Further evaluation of these dogs by 16S rDNA sequencing gave limited results but 5 were confirmed to be infected with non-haemoplasma species: 2 Anaplasma phagocytophilum, 1 Anaplasma ovis, 1 Serratia marcescens and 1 Aerococcus spp. The 16S rRNA gene sequences from Mhc species showed>99.8% identity with each other and>99.6% identity with GenBank sequences, and resided in a single clade with other global Mhc and Mycoplasma haemofelis sequences, indicating low 16S rRNA genetic variability amongst this canine haemoplasma species.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Clinical Pathology, College of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, University of Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília 709010-900, Brazil. Electronic address: larissaquino@gmail.com.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Aquino
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Division, National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kamani
authors.affiliation: State Veterinary Hospital Jos, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Plateau State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Haruna
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Clinical Pathology, College of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, University of Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília 709010-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Paludo
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK; Molecular Diagnostic Unit, Langford Veterinary Services, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Helps
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK; Molecular Diagnostic Unit, Langford Veterinary Services, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tasker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008297:Male; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D009549:Nigeria; D010802:Phylogeny; D015995:Prevalence; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
keywords: Dogs; Haemoplasmas; Nigeria; Prevalence; Risk factors