Canine vector-borne infections in Mauritius

Particle and Fibre Toxicology

Peter John Irwin²  Ian Duncan Robertson²  Jean Alain Ean Ignace¹  Gary Kwok Cheong Lee² 

[1] Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Animal Hospital, Mauritius Society for Animal Welfare, Rose Hill, Mauritius;Vector and Water-Borne Pathogen Research Group, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch 6150, WA, Australia

关键词: Canine vector-borne diseases;    Amblyomma variegatum;    Rhipicephalus sanguineus;    Hepatozoon canis;    Dirofilaria immitis;    Anaplasma;    Ehrlichia;    Mauritius;   

Others  :  1146229
DOI  :  10.1186/s13071-015-0790-9

 received in 2014-11-23, accepted in 2015-03-10,  发布年份 2015

【 摘 要 】

Background

Canine vector-borne diseases have a worldwide distribution, but to the best of our knowledge, no research has been carried out to evaluate their presence on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. An investigation into canine vector-borne infections was conducted in dogs (n = 78) resident at an animal shelter in Port Louis, Mauritius using a combination of traditional microscopy and serological methods.

Methods

Ticks were manually collected from the stray dog population for identification as well as for quantifying tick burdens. Blood was also collected from each dog via either the jugular vein or the cephalic vein, and was stored in EDTA tubes. The stored blood was then used to measure PCV values, make blood smears for the identification of parasites, and used for serological testing of vector-borne disease.

Results

A total of 178 ticks were collected from 52 dogs and identified as Rhipicephalus sanguineus (175/178) or Amblyomma variegatum (3/178). Twenty-six (33%; 95% CI 23, 45) dogs were seropositive for Ehrlichia spp., and 12 (15%; 95% CI 8, 25) for Anaplasma spp., Dirofilaria antigen was detected in 14 (18%; 95% CI 10, 28), and nine (12%; 95% CI 5, 21) dogs had Hepatozoon canis gamonts observed in blood films during microscopic examination. Eleven (14%; 95% CI 7, 24) dogs were co-infected with two pathogens. Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies were not detected in any dogs.

Conclusions

Infection with these pathogens had no significant effect on the packed cell volume (PCV), but high tick burdens were significantly associated with the presence of a tick-borne pathogen. This is the first study of its kind on the dog population in Mauritius and demonstrates the presence of previously undocumented canine vector-borne infections on the island. The relatively high proportion of infected dogs within the study should alert clinicians to the presence of canine vector-borne diseases on the island of Mauritius.

【 授权许可】

   
2015 Lee et al.; licensee BioMed Central.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

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