| Vector-borne pathogens in dogs of different regions of Iran and Pakistan |
| Paper ID : 1051-IPCA4 |
| Authors |
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Alireza Sazmand *1, Roberta Iatta2, Viet-Linh Nguyen2, Farzad Nemati3, Zahra Bahiraei3, Salman Zafari4, Muhammad Mazhar Ayaz5, Anna Giannico6, Grazia Greco2, Filipe Dantas-Torres7, Domenico Otranto2 1Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bu-Ali Sina University 6517658978 Hamedan, IRAN 2Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Bari, Italy 3Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran 4Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan 6517658978, Iran 5Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur, Pakistan 6Istituto Zooprofilattico della Puglia e della Basilicata, Putignano, Italy 7Department of Immunology, Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Recife, Brazil |
| Abstract |
| Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) are of global importance since most of them are of zoonotic concern posing a direct threat to human health in addition to animal welfare. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview on the prevalence of CVBDs in sheltered and owned dogs from Iran and Pakistan where available data is scarce. Blood samples were collected from 403 dogs from six provinces in two countries and tested for DNA of Anaplasma spp., Rickettsia spp., filarioids, Leishmania spp., Coxiella burnetii, Ehrlichia spp., Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon spp. by conventional and real-time PCR. Furthermore, serum samples were screened for the detection of antibodies against L. infantum by IFAT. The occurrence of dogs positive for at least one pathogen was 46.9% with Hepatozoon canis the most frequently detected pathogen (41.4%), followed by A. platys (6.4%), E. canis (3.4%), Rickettsia spp. (2.2%), B. vogeli (1.0%) and L. infantum (0.3%). A seroprevalence of 9.6% to anti-L. infantum antibodies was also recorded. Results of this study indicate that dog populations from Iran and Pakistan are exposed to multiple pathogens transmitted by arthropods. Moreover, the circulation of spotted fever group Rickettsia spp. and L. infantum as well as of potentially zoonotic pathogens (i.e., A. platys and E. canis) may represent relevant public health issues. Therefore, effective control strategies and increasing public awareness for minimizing the risk of infection in animals and humans is recommended. |
| Keywords |
| Anaplasma platys; Canine vector-borne pathogens; Ehrlichia canis; Rickettsia spp.; Hepatozoon canis; Leishmania infantum; Iran; Pakistan |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |