Study on coinfecting vector-borne pathogens in dogs and ticks in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Since dogs presenting several vector borne diseases can show none or nonspecific clinical signs depending on the phase of infection, the assessment of the particular agents involved is mandatory. The present study aimed to investigate the presence of Babesia spp., Ehrlichia spp., Anaplasma spp., Hepatozoon spp. and Leishmania spp. in blood samples and ticks, collected from two dogs from Rio Grande do Norte showing suggestive tick-borne disease by using molecular techniques. DNA of E. canis, H. canis and L. infantum were detected in blood samples and R. sanguineus ticks collected from dogs. Among all samples analyzed, two showed the presence of multiple infections with E. canis, H. canis and L. infantum chagasi. Here we highlighted the need for molecular differential diagnosis in dogs showing nonspecific clinical signs.受多种蜱媒传播疾病（vector-borne diseases, VBD）感染的犬只，可能因感染阶段不同而表现出无症状或非特异性临床症状，因此对所涉特定病原体进行检测鉴定为强制性要求。本研究旨在通过分子生物学技术，对采集自巴西北里奥格兰德州的2只表现出疑似蜱媒传播疾病症状的犬只的血液样本及其体表蜱虫中，巴贝斯虫属（Babesia spp.）、埃立克体属（Ehrlichia spp.）、无形体属（Anaplasma spp.）、肝簇虫属（Hepatozoon spp.）以及利什曼原虫属（Leishmania spp.）的存在情况开展调查。研究人员在上述犬只的血液样本以及血红扇头蜱（Rhipicephalus sanguineus）中，检测到了犬埃立克体（Ehrlichia canis, E. canis）、犬肝簇虫（Hepatozoon canis, H. canis）以及婴儿利什曼原虫（Leishmania infantum, L. infantum）的基因组DNA。在所有受检测分析的样本中，有2份样本存在犬埃立克体、犬肝簇虫与利什曼原虫恰加斯亚种（Leishmania infantum chagasi）的混合感染。本研究强调，针对表现出非特异性临床症状的犬只开展分子鉴别诊断具有重要必要性。