Abstract
Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) are globally widespread arthropod-transmitted diseases with a significant impact on animal and human health. Many drivers have recently spurred the geographic spread of VBDs in dogs. This study has evaluated the exposure to most important VBDs in dogs under different preventative treatments in different regions of Italy, i.e., Veneto, Friuli Venezia-Giulia, Umbria, Giglio Island (Tuscany), Abruzzo and Latium. Serological analyses were performed to detect antibodies against Leishmania infantum, Babesia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum/Anaplasma platys, Ehrlichia canis/Ehrlichia ewingii, Borrelia burgdorferi, Rickettsia conorii and the circulating antigen of Dirofilaria immitis. Dogs were categorized according to the treatment schedule usually received, and the association between seropositivity and possible risk factors was statistically evaluated. Overall, 124/242 (51.2%) dogs tested positive for at least one pathogen, while 34 (14.0%) were exposed to two or more pathogens. The most detected seropositivity was against R. conorii, followed by Anaplasma spp., L. infantum, B. canis, and the other pathogens under study. Significant statistical associations were found according to geographical provenance, history of tick infestation, lifestyle and inadequate prophylactic treatments. Random/irregular treatments have been identified as a clear risk factor. These results show that adequate prophylactic treatment protocols are overlooked by dog owners, despite the availability of several effective products, with possible implications in veterinary medicine and on public health.
Highlights
Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) are caused by several pathogens transmitted by ectoparasites, namely ticks, fleas, mosquitoes and sand flies [1,2,3]
In Europe, heartworm disease caused by the mosquito-borne nematode Dirofilaria immitis, leishmaniosis and babesiosis by the protozoans Leishmania infantum and Babesia spp. transmitted by sandflies and ticks, respectively, are the most important parasitic vector-borne diseases (VBDs) affecting dogs [11,12,13]
The present study aimed to investigate the exposure to primary VBDs in privately owned dogs living in different regions of Italy endemic for CVBDs, to (i) evaluate the impact of different preventative regimens in their distribution and to (ii) update national epidemiological data
Summary
Canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs) are caused by several pathogens (parasites, bacteria and viruses) transmitted by ectoparasites, namely ticks, fleas, mosquitoes and sand flies [1,2,3]. These pathogens represent a threat for human and animal health throughout continents [4,5,6,7,8,9,10]. In Europe, heartworm disease caused by the mosquito-borne nematode Dirofilaria immitis, leishmaniosis and babesiosis by the protozoans Leishmania infantum and Babesia spp. transmitted by sandflies and ticks, respectively, are the most important parasitic vector-borne diseases (VBDs) affecting dogs [11,12,13]. Several factors, including climate change and global warming, may promote the biology and spreading of vectors, while globalization, increased travelling of companion animals with their owners, relocation and the rapid growth of human and canine population have caused a geographic expansion of CVBDs into both endemic and formerly unaffected regions [1,19,20,21]
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