Prevalence of vector-borne pathogens in dogs from Haiti.
Canine vector-borne pathogens are common on some Caribbean islands, but survey data in Haiti are lacking. To determine the prevalence of selected vector-borne pathogens in dogs from Haiti, we tested blood samples collected from 210 owned dogs, 28 (13.3%) of which were infested with Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks at the time of blood collection. No other tick species were identified on these dogs. A commercially available ELISA identified antibodies to Ehrlichia spp. in 69 (32.9%), antibodies to Anaplasma spp. in 37 (17.6%), and antigen of Dirofilaria immitis in 55 (26.2%); antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi were not detected in any sample. Molecular assays of whole blood from 207 of the dogs confirmed infection with Ehrlichia canis (15; 7.2%), Anaplasma platys (13; 6.3%), D. immitis (46; 22.2%), Wolbachia spp. (45; 21.7%), Babesia vogeli (16; 7.7%), and Hepatozoon canis (40; 19.3%), but Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia canis, Babesia rossi, Babesia gibsoni, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Ehrlichia ewingii, or Hepatozoon americanum were not detected. Co-infection with two or more vector-borne pathogens was detected by serology in 42 (20.0%) dogs and by molecular assays in 22 (10.6%) dogs; one dog was co-infected with B. vogeli and E. canis as detected by PCR with D. immitis detected by serology (antigen). Overall, evidence of past or current infection with at least one vector-borne pathogen was identified in 142/210 (67.6%) dogs in this study, underscoring the common nature of these pathogens, some of which are zoonotic, in Haiti.
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States. Electronic address: las0080@auburn.edu.
Lindsay A
LA
Starkey
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.
Kassie
K
Newton
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.
Jill
J
Brunker
Christian Veterinary Mission, Bon Repos, Haiti.
Kelly
K
Crowdis
Ministère de l'Agriculture des Ressources Naturelles et du Dèveloppment Rural, Port Au Prince, Haiti.
Emile Jean Pierre
EJP
Edourad
Ministère de l'Agriculture des Ressources Naturelles et du Dèveloppment Rural, Cap-Haitien, Haiti.
Pedro
P
Meneus
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, United States.
Susan E
SE
Little
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006205:Haiti / Q000453:epidemiology; D010271:Parasites / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013987:Ticks / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth
Anaplasma platys; Babesia vogeli; Dirofilaria immitis; Ehrlichia canis; Hepatozoon canis; Rhipicephalus sanguineus