Osathanon Rungrote, Saechin Aeknarin, Mongkolphan Chalisa, Bhusri Benjaporn, Tangsudjai Siriporn
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Monitoring and Surveillance Center for Zoonotic Diseases in Wildlife and Exotic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
J Vet Intern Med. 2025 Jul-Aug;39(4):e70154. doi: 10.1111/jvim.70154.
Ehrlichia, Hepatozoon, and Babesia have the potential to cause life-threatening illnesses in dogs, especially when coinfections occur.
HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To determine the infection rates, coinfection patterns, and risk factors associated with these pathogens in central Thailand.
Two thousand five hundred nineteen owned dogs presented with clinical abnormalities consistent with tick-borne diseases between 2019 and 2023.
Retrospective study, blood samples were analyzed using multiplex PCR to assess infection rates. The study compared infection rates across different sexes and age groups and tracked monthly variations.
A total of 19.02% (95% CI: 17.50-20.60) of dogs were infected by one pathogen infection: Ehrlichia 11.47% (10.25-12.78), Babesia 2.78% (2.17-3.50), and Hepatozoon 1.83% (1.34-2.43). Infections occurred year-round but peaked in May. Coinfections were observed in 2.94% (2.31-3.67) of cases. Among infected dogs, coinfections were identified in 34% (36/106) and 53% (52/98) of dogs with babesiosis or hepatozoonosis, respectively, whereas 19% (69/358) of dogs with ehrlichiosis were co-infected. Coinfections peaked in April, occurred in all age groups, and were more frequent in dogs younger than 1 year compared to dogs older than 7 years.
These findings underscore the importance of comprehensive diagnostic testing for multiple pathogens and tick prevention in dogs living in this region.
埃立克体属、肝簇虫属和巴贝斯虫属有可能在犬类中引发危及生命的疾病，尤其是在发生混合感染时。
假设/目标：确定泰国中部这些病原体的感染率、混合感染模式及相关风险因素。
2019年至2023年间，2519只出现与蜱传疾病相符临床异常的家养犬。
回顾性研究，使用多重聚合酶链反应分析血样以评估感染率。该研究比较了不同性别和年龄组的感染率，并追踪月度变化。
共有19.02%（95%置信区间：17.50 - 20.60）的犬感染了一种病原体：埃立克体属感染率为11.47%（10.25 - 12.78），巴贝斯虫属为2.78%（2.17 - 3.50），肝簇虫属为1.83%（1.34 - 2.43）。感染全年发生，但在5月达到峰值。2.94%（2.31 - 3.67）的病例出现混合感染。在感染犬中，分别有34%（共36/106）的巴贝斯虫病犬和53%（共52/98）的肝簇虫病犬出现混合感染，而埃立克体病犬的混合感染率为19%（共69/358）。混合感染在4月达到峰值，所有年龄组均有发生，1岁以下犬比7岁以上犬更常见。
这些发现强调了对该地区犬类进行多种病原体综合诊断检测和蜱预防的重要性。
