Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Old Soutpan Road, Onderstepoort, Pretoria, 0110, South Africa; Department of Small Animal Clinical Science, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZX, United Kingdom.
Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Old Soutpan Road, Onderstepoort, Pretoria, 0110, South Africa.
Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports. 2024 Sep;54:101092. doi: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2024.101092. Epub 2024 Aug 2.
Canine babesiosis and ehrlichiosis are tick-borne infections of great significance in South Africa. Theileriosis in dogs in South Africa is still poorly understood. Co-infection with multiple tick-borne diseases has been documented and is perceived as a common occurrence in South Africa.
The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of co-infections with Ehrlichia canis or Theileria equi in dogs with babesiosis in the Eastern Cape province. There is a lack of data on canine tick-borne disease distribution in this region. Possible associations of population characteristics and haematological and biochemistry measures with a co-infection of E. canis or T. equi in these dogs were also investigated.
The study population included 150 dogs naturally infected with babesiosis that presented to the Mdantsane State Veterinary Clinic between January 2021 and November 2021. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to confirm the Babesia spp. that the dogs were infected with and to identify co-infections. Association with co-infection for the following parameters were evaluated: sex, breed, age, duration of illness, leukocyte count, band neutrophil count, monocyte count, platelet count, ARC, and serum globulin concentration. Positive and negative predictive values of monocytosis, leukopenia, band neutrophilia, thrombocytopenia, and non-regenerative absolute reticulocyte count for co-infection were also calculated.
Babesia rossi was identified in 149/150 samples and B. vogeli in only 1/150 samples. A co-infection prevalence of 2.0% (3/149; 95% CI: 0.4-5.7) with B. rossi and E. canis was found. No other co-infections were reported. No investigated variables showed significant associations with co-infections. Monocytosis, in particular, was not associated with co-infection.
Co-infection with other tick-borne diseases in dogs with babesiosis is uncommon in the Eastern Cape province. These findings raise the possibility that B. rossi may have a protective effect against other tick-borne diseases.
犬巴贝斯虫病和埃立克体病是南非具有重要意义的蜱传感染。南非犬泰勒虫病仍知之甚少。已记录到多种蜱传疾病的合并感染，并且在南非被认为是常见现象。
本研究的主要目的是确定在东开普省患有巴贝斯虫病的犬中合并感染犬埃立克体或马泰勒虫的流行情况。该地区缺乏有关犬类蜱传疾病分布的数据。还研究了这些犬中埃立克体或马泰勒虫合并感染与人口特征以及血液学和生物化学指标的可能关联。
研究人群包括 2021 年 1 月至 2021 年 11 月期间在马丹坦桑州立兽医诊所就诊的 150 只自然感染巴贝斯虫的犬。使用定量聚合酶链反应来确认犬感染的巴贝斯虫种类，并确定合并感染。评估了以下参数与合并感染的关联：性别、品种、年龄、患病时间、白细胞计数、带中性粒细胞计数、单核细胞计数、血小板计数、ARC 和血清球蛋白浓度。还计算了单核细胞增多症、白细胞减少症、带中性粒细胞增多症、血小板减少症和非再生绝对网织红细胞计数对合并感染的阳性和阴性预测值。
在 150 个样本中鉴定出 149 个样本为罗西巴贝斯虫，仅在 1 个样本中鉴定出 1 个样本为沃格尔巴贝斯虫。发现罗西巴贝斯虫和犬埃立克体的合并感染率为 2.0%（149 例中的 3 例；95%CI：0.4-5.7）。未报告其他合并感染。没有调查的变量与合并感染有显著关联。特别是单核细胞增多症与合并感染无关。
在东开普省患有巴贝斯虫病的犬中，其他蜱传疾病的合并感染并不常见。这些发现表明罗西巴贝斯虫可能对其他蜱传疾病具有保护作用。
