title: Molecular investigation of tick-borne pathogens in dogs from Luanda, Angola.
abstract: No molecular data have been available on tick-borne pathogens that infect dogs from Angola. The occurrence of agents from the genera Anaplasma, Babesia, Ehrlichia and Hepatozoon was assessed in 103 domestic dogs from Luanda, by means of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequence analysis.
  
  
  
  Forty-six dogs (44.7 %) were positive for at least one pathogen. Twenty-one animals (20.4 %) were found infected with Anaplasma platys, 18 (17.5 %) with Hepatozoon canis, six (5.8 %) with Ehrlichia canis, six (5.8 %) with Babesia vogeli, one (1.0 %) with Babesia gibsoni and one (1.0 %) with an unnamed Babesia sp. The molecular frequency of single infections taken together was 37.9 % and that of co-infections with several combinations of two pathogens accounted for 6.8 % of the animals.
  
  
  
  This is the first report of A. platys, B. vogeli, B. gibsoni, E. canis and H. canis infections diagnosed by PCR in domestic dogs from Angola. The present study provides evidence that dogs in Luanda are widely exposed to, and at risk of becoming infected with, tick-borne pathogens. Further investigation is needed, including a larger number of animals, canine populations from other cities and provinces of the country, as well as potential vector ticks, aiming at better characterizing and controlling canine vector-borne diseases in Angola.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal. lcardoso@utad.pt.
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.affiliation: Clínica Casa dos Animais, Luanda, Angola.
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Clínica Casa dos Animais, Luanda, Angola.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Granada
authors.affiliation: Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: Yaarit
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nachum-Biala
authors.affiliation: Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: Matan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gilad
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.|Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana Patrícia
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Escola Universitária Vasco da Gama, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sérgio Ramalho
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal.|Department of Veterinary Medicine, Escola Universitária Vasco da Gama, Coimbra, Portugal.|Hospital Veterinário do Baixo Vouga, Águeda, Portugal.
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vilhena
authors.affiliation: Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: Gad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baneth
mesh_terms: D000709:Anaplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D000810:Angola / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D003044:Coccidia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D004536:Ehrlichia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013987:Ticks / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology
keywords: Anaplasma platys; Angola; Babesia gibsoni; Babesia vogeli; Canine vector-borne diseases; Dogs; Ehrlichia canis; Hepatozoon canis; Luanda; Polymerase chain reaction