Transmission of by (Acari: Ixodidae) in Dogs.

BACKGROUND

is the most widely distributed tick in the world, which is partly due to its biological flexibility and the global distribution of its major host, the domestic dog. In Mediterranean region it could be principal reservoir host for usually transmitted by the phlebotomine sand flies. In this study, we evaluated the vector potential of in transmitting to uninfected dogs.

METHODS

During 2014, five dogs with clinical manifestations of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL), high anti- antibody titers and tick infestation, were selected from CVL endemic areas (Tehran and Alborz provinces). At least, twenty live ticks were removed from each infected dog. After morphological identification, the ticks were divided into two groups; ticks belonging to the first group were dissected for parasitological examinations and semi-nested PCR assay, and those of the second group were selected for the transmission of CVL caused by to uninfected dogs. Following tick infestation, all uninfected dogs were kept for 9 months and examined monthly for clinical and serological tests.

RESULTS

Nearly, 67% of ticks were infected by using the semi-nested PCR. All other parasitological tests of ticks were negative. Clinical examinations and serological tests of the investigated dogs revealed negative results. Nested-PCR test results performed on splenic biopsy samples of dogs were also negative.

CONCLUSION

-positive ticks were unable to transfer from infected dogs to healthy ones. The detection of DNA in ticks collected from naturally infected dogs by semi-nested PCR does not prove their vectorial competence.