Distribution and risk factors associated with Babesia spp. infection in hunting dogs from Southern Italy

• Published in: Ticks and tick-borne diseases Vol. 9; no. 6; pp. 1459 - 1463
• Main Authors: Veneziano, Vincenzo, Piantedosi, Diego, Ferrari, Nicola, Neola, Benedetto, Santoro, Mario, Pacifico, Laura, Sgroi, Giovanni, D’Alessio, Nicola, Panico, Tullio, Leutenegger, Christian M., Tyrrell, Phyllis, Buch, Jesse, Breitschwerdt, Edward B., Chandrashekar, Ramaswamy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier GmbH 01.09.2018
• Subjects: Animals; Babesia - classification; Babesia - isolation & purification; Babesia - physiology; Babesia canis; Babesia gibsoni; Babesia vogeli; Babesiosis - epidemiology; Babesiosis - parasitology; Dog Diseases - epidemiology; Dog Diseases - parasitology; Dogs; Hunting dogs; Italy; Italy - epidemiology; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Italy; Italy; Babesia gibsoni; Hunting dogs; Babesia vogeli; Babesia canis
• ISSN: 1877-959X; 1877-9603
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.07.005

•A survey on Babesia infection in hunting dogs from Southern Italy was performed.•The seroprevalence for B. canis/B. vogeli was 14.0% and 0.2% for B. gibsoni.•B. canis and B. vogeli PCR prevalences were 0.15% and 1.1%, respectively.•Male gender, adult age, long hair coat and living area represented risk factors.•This canine population is mainly exposed to B. vogeli, but PCR positivity is low. Canine babesiosis is caused by haemoprotozoan organisms of the genus Babesia which are transmitted by the bite of a hard tick. The aim of this survey was to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with Babesia species infections in hunting dogs from Southern Italy. Blood samples were collected from 1311 healthy dogs in the Napoli, Avellino and Salerno provinces of the Campania region of Southern Italy. Serological testing was performed using two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), with one designed to detect B. canis and B. vogeli antibodies, and the other designed to detect B. gibsoni antibodies. Blood samples were also tested by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays for amplification of B. canis, B. vogeli and B. gibsoni DNA. The overall seroprevalence for B. canis/B. vogeli was 14.0%, compared to 0.2% for B. gibsoni. B. canis and B. vogeli PCR positive rates were 0.15% and 1.1%, respectively. B. gibsoni DNA was not amplified by qPCR. Male gender (OR 1.85), increased age (OR 1.01), long hair coat (OR 1.61) and living in Salerno province (OR 1.71) represented risk factors for B. canis/B. vogeli seroreactivity. Hunting dogs in Southern Italy are often exposed to B. canis/B. vogeli, however Babesia spp. infection was infrequently detected using qPCR. Further studies are needed to determine the extent to which Babesia spp. cause clinical disease in hunting dogs, and to evaluate the potential epidemiological relationships between hunting dogs and wild animal populations sharing the same area.