engleski

BACTERIA AND PROTOZOA IN FLEAS AND TICKS FROM DOGS AND CATS DIED DUE TO HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA

Fleas and ticks are important vectors of vector-borne pathogens that affect cats and dogs. In the present study ticks and fleas collected from dogs and cats were investigated for presence of vector-borne pathogens and endosymbionts they harbor. The ectoparasites were collected from 14 deceased dogs and 22 deceased cats with gross findings of hemolytic anemia. After the morphological determination of ectoparasites, DNA was extracted for molecular detection of Babesia/Theileria sp., Anaplasma/Ehrlichia sp., Hepatozoon sp., Mycoplasma sp. and Bartonella sp. Ticks Dermacentor reticulatus (4/7, 57%), Ixodes ricinus (4/7, 57%) and Rhipicephalus sanquineus s.l. (1/7, 14%) were collected from 7 out of 14 dogs. Fleas were present in 64% of dogs: Ctenocephalides felis in 67% and C. canis in 33%. In three dogs co-infestation with more than one ectoparasite were detected: (i) C. felis and I. ricinus, (ii) C. canis and D. reticulatus, (iii) D. reticulatus, I. ricinus and R. sanquineus. Babesia canis was detected in four ectoparasites collected from four dogs (4/14, 29%): D. reticulatus (2/4, 50%), I. ricinus (1/4, 25%) and C. canis (1/4, 25%). Rickettsia raoultii was found in a single D. reticulatus (1/14, 7%). Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii was detected in all collected I. ricinus (4/14, 29%). Two groups of endosymbionts were detected in canine fleas: (i) identical to Wolbachia pipientis, endosymbiont found in C. felis (4/14, 29%) and C. canis (2/14, 14%), (ii) identical to Wolbachia endosymbiont of Xenopsylla sp. found in C. felis (2/14, 14%) and C. canis (1/14, 7%). In two cases co-infections were detected (i) B. canis and W. pipientis in C. canis, (ii) B. canis and Can. Midichloria mitohondrii in I. ricinus. Flea C. felis was present on all examined cats as well as a single I. ricinus tick. Sequences revealed the presence of two endosymbiont groups in C. felis: one identical to W. pipientis (9/22, 41%) and second to W. endosymbiont of Xenopsylla sp. (13/22, 59 %). Anaplasma phagocytophilum was detected in I. ricinus (5%, 1/22), Bartonella clarridgeiae in four (4/6, 67%) and B. hensellae in two fleas (33%). In six cases co-infections were detected (i) W. endosymbiont of Xenopsylla sp. and B. clarridgeiae (4/6, 67%), (ii) W. pipientis with B. hensellae (33%, 2/6).

bacteria ; protozoa ; genotyping ; dog ; cat ; hemolytic anemia ; vector-borne pathogens

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