title: Molecular detection of vector-borne pathogens in blood and splenic samples from dogs with splenic disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The spleen is a highly perfused organ involved in the immunological control and elimination of vector-borne pathogens (VBP), which could have a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of splenic disease. This study aimed to evaluate certain VBP in samples from dogs with splenic lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-seven EDTA-blood and 64 splenic tissue samples were collected from 78 dogs with splenic disease in a Mediterranean area. Babesia spp., Bartonella spp., Ehrlichia/Anaplasma spp., Hepatozoon canis, Leishmania infantum, hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. and Rickettsia spp. were targeted using PCR assays. Sixty EDTA-blood samples from dogs without evidence of splenic lesions were included as a control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than half (51.56%) of the biopsies (33/64) were consistent with benign lesions and 48.43% (31/64) with malignancy, mostly hemangiosarcoma (25/31). PCR yielded positive results in 13 dogs with spleen alterations (16.67%), for Babesia canis (n = 3), Babesia gibsoni (n = 2), hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. (n = 2), Rickettsia massiliae (n = 1) and "Babesia vulpes" (n = 1), in blood; and for B. canis, B. gibsoni, Ehrlichia canis and L. infantum (n = 1 each), in spleen. Two control dogs (3.3%) were positive for B. gibsoni and H. canis (n = 1 each). Benign lesions were detected in the 61.54% of infected dogs (8/13); the remaining 38.46% were diagnosed with malignancies (5/13). Infection was significantly associated to the presence of splenic disease (P = 0.013). There was no difference in the prevalence of infection between dogs with benign and malignant splenic lesions (P = 0.69); however B. canis was more prevalent in dogs with hemangiosarcoma (P = 0.006).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VBP infection could be involved in the pathogenesis of splenic disease. The immunological role of the spleen could predispose to alterations of this organ in infected dogs. Interestingly, all dogs with B. canis infection were diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma in the present survey. As previously reported, results support that VBP diagnosis could be improved by analysis of samples from different tissues. The sample size included here warrants further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clínic Veterinari, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Carrer de L'Hospital s/n, 08193 Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Movilla
authors.affiliation: Vetgenomics, Edifici Eureka, Parc de Recerca de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Altet
authors.affiliation: Vetgenomics, Edifici Eureka, Parc de Recerca de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.affiliation: Hospital Veterinario San Vicente, Calle del Veterinario Manuel Isidro Rodríguez García N°17, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: María-Dolores
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Tabar
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clínic Veterinari, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Carrer de L'Hospital s/n, 08193 Bellaterra, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain. xavier.roura@uab.cat.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Roura
mesh_terms: D000709:Anaplasma / Q000235:genetics; D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D001473:Bartonella / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001474:Bartonella Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D004199:Disease Vectors; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology*; D004285:Dogs; D041061:Ehrlichia canis / Q000235:genetics; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D018314:Leishmania infantum / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Babesia canis; Canine; Hemangiosarcoma; Polymerase chain reaction; Spleen; Vector-borne disease