title: Canine vector-borne pathogens in semi-domesticated dogs residing in northern Cambodia.
abstract: In Southeast Asia, the canine vector-borne pathogens Babesia spp., Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, Hepatozoon canis, haemotropic mycoplasmas and Dirofilaria immitis cause significant morbidity and mortality in dogs. Moreover, dogs have also been implicated as natural reservoirs for Rickettsia felis, the agent of flea-borne spotted fever, increasingly implicated as a cause of undifferentiated fever in humans in Southeast Asia. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and diversity of canine vector-borne pathogens in 101 semi-domesticated dogs from rural Cambodia using molecular diagnostic techniques.
  
  
  
  The most common canine vector-borne pathogens found infecting dogs in this study were Babesia vogeli (32.7 %) followed by Ehrlichia canis (21.8 %), Dirofilaria immitis (15.8 %), Hepatozoon canis (10.9 %), Mycoplasma haemocanis (9.9 %) and "Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum" (2.9 %). A high level of co-infection with CVBD agents (23.8 %) was present, most commonly B. vogeli and E. canis. Naturally occurring R. felis infection was also detected in 10.9 % of dogs in support of their role as a natural mammalian reservoir for flea-borne spotted fever in humans.
  
  
  
  This study reports for the first time, the prevalence and diversity of CVBD pathogens in dogs in Cambodia. In total, five species of CVBD pathogens were found infecting semi-domesticated dogs and many were co-infected with two or more pathogens. This study supports the role of dogs as natural mammalian reservoirs for R. felis, the agent of flea-borne spotted fever in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand.
authors.forename: Tawin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inpankaew
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.
authors.forename: Sze Fui
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Hii
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, 10900, Thailand.
authors.forename: Wissanuwat
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chimnoi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia. rtraub@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Traub
mesh_terms: D000709:Anaplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D002160:Cambodia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003044:Coccidia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D060085:Coinfection / Q000662:veterinary; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004184:Dirofilariasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D041061:Ehrlichia canis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Babesia; Cambodia; Canine; Dirofilaria; Dogs; Ehrlichia; Hepatozoon; Mycoplasma; PCR; Vector-borne