Daniel Ian Kirimi, Hakimi Hassan, Ramos Rafael A N, Kattoor Jobin J, Wilkes Rebecca P, Nare Richard Ngandolo Bongo, Oaukou Philip Tchindebet, Metinou Sidouin K, Saleh Meriam N, Tritten Lucienne, Garabed Rebecca, Verocai Guilherme G
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
Laboratory of Parasitology, Federal University of the Agreste of Pernambuco, Garanhuns, PE, Brazil.
Sci Rep. 2025 Aug 2;15(1):28215. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-13431-3.
Data on vector-borne pathogens infecting dogs from sub-Saharan Africa is limited. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of VBPs, their associated risk factors, and pathogen interactions in domestic dogs. Whole blood samples were obtained for 1202 apparently healthy dogs in Chad from September to October 2021, and nucleic acids were extracted and then subjected to a targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) assay for detection of 15 VBPs. Overall, 88.7% of the dogs were positive for at least one pathogen, and 62.9% were coinfected with two or more VBPs. The most frequent pathogen detected was Hepatozoon canis in 62.4% of the dogs, Mycoplasma haemocanis in 59.2%, Anaplasma platys in 29.2%, Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum in 21.2%, Ehrlichia canis in 20.3%, Babesia vogeli in 2.0% and Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis in 1.5%. While most of the dogs (62.9%) were co-infected with two or more VBPs, having an infection with three pathogens (30.8%) was more common. According to multivariable logistic regression analysis, being a senior dog and residing in Chari Baguirmi south were identified as potential risk factors for infection by most of the pathogens. Network analyses revealed complex interactions suggesting facilitative associations among VBPs. These results are useful in expanding the knowledge of VBPs in Africa and establishing a baseline for downstream studies into hemotropic mycoplasmas.
关于撒哈拉以南非洲感染犬类的媒介传播病原体的数据有限。在本研究中，我们评估了家犬中媒介传播病原体（VBP）的流行率、其相关风险因素以及病原体间的相互作用。于2021年9月至10月从乍得的1202只看似健康的犬只采集全血样本，提取核酸，然后进行靶向二代测序（tNGS）检测15种VBP。总体而言，88.7%的犬只至少对一种病原体呈阳性，62.9%的犬只感染了两种或更多种VBP。检测到的最常见病原体是犬肝簇虫，在62.4%的犬只中存在；溶血支原体在59.2%的犬只中存在；血小板无浆体在29.2%的犬只中存在；细小血支原体在21.2%的犬只中存在；犬埃立克体在20.3%的犬只中存在；伯氏巴贝斯虫在2.0%的犬只中存在；图氏支原体在1.5%的犬只中存在。虽然大多数犬只（62.9%）感染了两种或更多种VBP，但感染三种病原体的情况（30.8%）更为常见。根据多变量逻辑回归分析，老龄犬以及居住在沙里 - 巴吉尔米南部被确定为大多数病原体感染的潜在风险因素。网络分析揭示了复杂的相互作用，表明VBP之间存在促进性关联。这些结果有助于扩展非洲VBP的知识，并为后续关于血支原体的研究建立基线。
