Tadesse Hana, Grillini Marika, Simonato Giulia, Mondin Alessandra, Dotto Giorgia, Frangipane di Regalbono Antonio, Kumsa Bersissa, Cassini Rudi, Menandro Maria Luisa
Arba Minch Agricultural Research Center, Southern Agricultural Research Institute, Arba Minch P.O. Box 2228, Ethiopia.
Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Pathology, Addis Ababa University, Bishoftu P.O. Box 34, Ethiopia.
Trop Med Infect Dis. 2023 Feb 3;8(2):102. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed8020102.
Dogs are known to host several tick-borne pathogens with zoonotic potential; however, scant information is available on the epidemiology of these pathogens in low-income tropical countries and in particular in sub-Saharan Africa. With the aim of investigating a wide range of tick-borne pathogens (i.e., spp., spp., spp., spp., spp. and spp.), 273 blood samples were collected from dogs in selected districts of Ethiopia and analyzed by real-time and/or end-point PCR. The results of the study showed that was the most prevalent pathogen (53.8%), followed by (7.0%), (3.3%), (2.6%) and (2.2%). Furthermore, five samples tested positive for spp., identified as ( = 3) and ( = 2), and two samples for spp., identified as ( = 1) and ( = 1). The finding of and different species of the genera and with zoonotic potential was unexpected and alarming, and calls for further investigation on the roles of dogs and on the tick, species acting as vector in this specific context. Other pathogens (, , , ) are already known to have an important impact on the dogs' health but have minor zoonotic potential as they were rarely or never reported in humans. Dogs from rural areas were found to be at higher risk for different pathogens, probably due to the presence of other wild canids in the same environment. The findings of the present study contribute to a better knowledge of the epidemiology of tick-borne pathogens, which is relevant to human and animal health.
已知犬类携带多种具有人畜共患病潜力的蜱传病原体；然而，关于这些病原体在低收入热带国家，尤其是撒哈拉以南非洲地区的流行病学信息却很少。为了调查多种蜱传病原体（即 属、 属、 属、 属、 属和 属），从埃塞俄比亚选定地区的犬类中采集了273份血液样本，并通过实时和/或终点PCR进行分析。研究结果表明， 是最普遍的病原体（53.8%），其次是 （7.0%）、 （3.3%）、 （2.6%）和 （2.2%）。此外，有5份样本检测出 属呈阳性，鉴定为 （ = 3）和 （ = 2），还有2份样本检测出 属呈阳性，鉴定为 （ = 1）和 （ = 1）。发现具有人畜共患病潜力的 属以及 属和 属的不同物种，既出乎意料又令人担忧，这需要进一步调查犬类以及在这一特定环境中作为传播媒介的蜱虫物种所起的作用。其他病原体（ 、 、 、 ）已知对犬类健康有重要影响，但人畜共患病潜力较小，因为它们在人类中很少或从未有过报告。发现农村地区的犬类感染不同病原体的风险较高，这可能是由于同一环境中存在其他野生犬科动物。本研究结果有助于更好地了解蜱传病原体的流行病学，这与人类和动物健康相关。
