Gerber K, Picard J A, Elliman J, Joone C J, Indrawirawan Y, Constantinoiu C C
Discipline of Veterinary Science, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Douglas, Queensland, 4811, Australia.
Discipline of Biomedicine, College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Douglas, Queensland, 4811, Australia.
Aust Vet J. 2025 Jul;103(7):430-432. doi: 10.1111/avj.13450. Epub 2025 May 4.
Ehrlichia canis, Babesia spp. and Dirofilaria immitis are blood-borne pathogens transmitted to dogs by arthropods. The aim of the current study was to investigate the prevalence of E. canis, Babesia spp. and D. immitis in domestic dogs, aged 6 months or older, in Townsville, in far north Queensland, Australia. Dogs were recruited through convenience sampling, with the assistance of local veterinary clinics and James Cook University staff and students. Up to 3 ml of blood was collected per dog, into EDTA vacutainer tubes. Testing for E. canis and Babesia spp. was performed through qPCR, with a second PCR used to identify the species in Babesia-positive cases. Testing for D. immitis was performed using a commercial antigen detection kit and the modified Knott's test (MKT); microfilariae identity was confirmed by morphological features and qPCR. Of 301 dogs sampled, none tested positive for E. canis, whereas 9 (3.0%, 95% CI 1.1-4.9%) tested positive for Babesia vogeli, and 15 (5.0%; 95% CI 2.5-7.5%) tested positive for D. immitis, based on the combined antigen and MKT results.
犬埃立克体、巴贝斯虫属和犬恶丝虫是通过节肢动物传播给犬类的血源性病原体。本研究的目的是调查澳大利亚昆士兰州远北地区汤斯维尔市6个月及以上家养犬中犬埃立克体、巴贝斯虫属和犬恶丝虫的感染率。在当地兽医诊所以及詹姆斯·库克大学工作人员和学生的协助下，通过便利抽样招募犬只。每只犬采集最多3毫升血液，放入乙二胺四乙酸（EDTA）真空采血管中。通过定量聚合酶链反应（qPCR）检测犬埃立克体和巴贝斯虫属，对巴贝斯虫阳性病例使用第二种聚合酶链反应来鉴定虫种。使用商业抗原检测试剂盒和改良的诺氏试验（MKT）检测犬恶丝虫；通过形态学特征和qPCR确认微丝蚴的种类。根据抗原检测和改良诺氏试验的综合结果，在301只采样犬中，没有犬埃立克体检测呈阳性的，而有9只（3.0%，95%可信区间1.1 - 4.9%）检测出伯氏巴贝斯虫呈阳性，15只（5.0%；95%可信区间2.5 - 7.5%）检测出犬恶丝虫呈阳性。
