Merial Shelter Medicine Clerkship, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, 2015 SW 16th Avenue, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States.
Vet Parasitol. 2010 Jul 15;171(1-2):136-9. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.03.016. Epub 2010 Mar 17.
Arthropod vectors of canine infectious diseases are present throughout Florida. Since crowded housing has the potential to bring vectors and infected dogs into close proximity, it is possible that prevalence of infection is higher in intensely housed dogs. In this study, the seroprevalence of Dirofilaria immitis, Ehrlichia canis, and Borrelia burgdorferi in dogs residing in two types of intensive housing, greyhound kennels and animal shelters, was compared to dogs residing in low-intensity housing, private homes. Serum was collected from a cross-section of 1500 adult dogs from Florida, including 500 pet dogs referred to the Veterinary Medical Center of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida, 500 racing greyhounds, and 500 dogs residing in animal shelters. Serum was tested for D. immitis antigen, E. canis antibodies, and B. burgdorferi antibodies by ELISA. Seroprevalence of D. immitis was significantly higher (14.6%) in shelter dogs and in pet dogs (1.4%) than in racing greyhounds (0.2%) (P<0.04). There were no significant differences in the seroprevalence of E. canis (0.4-1.6%) or B. burgdorferi (0-0.8%) among the groups. There was no association of sex or age with D. immitis infection, but pit bull type dogs were more than twice as likely to be infected than other breeds (P=0.003). Evidence for vector-borne infections, particularly D. immitis, was found in dogs throughout the state. The prevalence was greatest for D. immitis infection in shelter dogs, likely due to lack of preventive medications prior to impoundment. Although heartworm infection is considered to be a treatable condition, insufficient resources in shelters may lead to euthanasia of infected dogs that would otherwise be considered adoptable.
佛罗里达州存在多种节肢动物媒介传播的犬类传染病。由于高密度的居住环境可能使媒介和受感染的犬只密切接触，因此高密度饲养的犬只感染的可能性更高。在这项研究中，比较了居住在两种强化饲养环境（灵缇犬舍和动物收容所）和居住在低密度饲养环境（私人住宅）的犬只的犬恶丝虫、犬埃立克体和伯氏疏螺旋体的血清流行率。从佛罗里达州的 1500 只成年犬中采集了血清样本，包括兽医医学中心转诊的 500 只宠物犬、500 只赛狗和 500 只居住在动物收容所的犬只。通过 ELISA 检测血清中的犬恶丝虫抗原、犬埃立克体抗体和伯氏疏螺旋体抗体。收容所犬和宠物犬（分别为 14.6%和 1.4%）的犬恶丝虫血清流行率明显高于赛狗（0.2%）（P<0.04）。各组犬的犬埃立克体（0.4-1.6%）或伯氏疏螺旋体（0-0.8%）血清流行率无显著差异。犬恶丝虫感染与性别或年龄无关，但斗牛犬类犬感染的可能性是其他品种的两倍多（P=0.003）。在全州的犬中发现了节肢动物媒介传播感染的证据，特别是犬恶丝虫。在收容所犬中，犬恶丝虫感染的流行率最高，这可能是由于在收容前缺乏预防性药物。尽管心丝虫感染被认为是一种可治疗的疾病，但收容所的资源不足可能导致原本可被收养的感染犬只被安乐死。
