title: Detection and molecular identification of Hepatozoon canis and Babesia vogeli from domestic dogs in Palestine.
abstract: Dogs serve as hosts for a great number of parasites, which may affect their health and wellbeing. This study aimed to observe tick borne pathogens in dogs from Palestine including Hepatozoon canis and Babesia species. The prevalence of both H. canis and Babesia species infections in apparently healthy dogs, from ten districts of the West Bank was surveyed. DNA was extracted from blood samples obtained from dogs (n = 362) and ticks (n = 213) collected from dogs (n = 77). A primer set that amplifies a partial sequence of the Babesia and Hepatozoon 18S rRNA gene was used for PCR and the DNA sequences of the PCR products of all samples were determined. Twenty-nine (8·0%) of the dogs were found infected including 20 with H. canis (5·5%), seven with Babesia vogeli (1·9%) and two with undefined Babesia spp. (0·6%). Twelve Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l ticks were pathogen-positive, including ten with H. canis (4·7%), one with B. vogeli (0·5%), and one with Hepatozoon felis (0·5%). The results indicated that a wide range of tick borne pathogens is circulating in the canine population in the surveyed region. This study is the first report on the prevalence of H. canis, B. vogeli and Babesia spp. in dogs in Palestine and its results will assist in the management of diseases associated with these blood parasites.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department,Faculty of Medicine,Al-Quds University,Abu Deis,The West Bank,Palestine.
authors.forename: Kifaya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Azmi
authors.affiliation: Al-Quds Public Health Society,Jerusalem,Palestine.
authors.forename: Amer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Jawabreh
authors.affiliation: Al-Quds Public Health Society,Jerusalem,Palestine.
authors.forename: Abedelmajeed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nasereddin
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine,Al-Quds Nutrition and Health Research Institute,Al-Quds University,Abu-Deis,P.O. Box 20760,The West Bank,Palestine.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdelkader
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine,Al-Quds Nutrition and Health Research Institute,Al-Quds University,Abu-Deis,P.O. Box 20760,The West Bank,Palestine.
authors.forename: Taher
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zaid
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department,Faculty of Medicine,Al-Quds University,Abu Deis,The West Bank,Palestine.
authors.forename: Suheir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ereqat
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Health Care,Palestinian Ministry of Health,Ramallah,Palestine.
authors.forename: Samer S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Sawalha
authors.affiliation: Koret School of Veterinary Medicine,Hebrew University,Rehovot,Israel.
authors.forename: Gad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baneth
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine,Al-Quds Nutrition and Health Research Institute,Al-Quds University,Abu-Deis,P.O. Box 20760,The West Bank,Palestine.
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Abdeen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000469:parasitology; D001403:Babesia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D016783:Eucoccidiida / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D008297:Male; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D048508:Rhipicephalus sanguineus / Q000469:parasitology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary
keywords: 
                 Babesia vogeli
              ; 
                 Hepatozoan canis
              ; canine babesiosis