Abstract
BackgroundTick-borne haemoparasites Babesia vogeli and Anaplasma platys are common among the free-roaming canine populations associated with Aboriginal communities in Australia, whilst the prevalence of haemoplasmas, which are also suspected to be tick-borne, remained unexplored. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of haemoplasma infection in these populations, and to identify any correlation with other haemoparasites. Blood was collected from 39 dogs associated with four Aboriginal communities and screened for infection using PCR and serology. DNA was purified and PCR analyses for piroplasms, Anaplasmataceae family bacteria and haemoplasmas performed. Serum was analysed using a commercial haemoparasite ELISA. Prevalence of infection was compared between communities.ResultsSeventeen dogs (44%) were infected (PCR positive) with Mycoplasma haemocanis, eight (21%) with ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum’, 20 (51%) with A. platys, and 17 (44%) with B. vogeli. Two dogs were infected with a novel haemoplasma as determined by DNA amplification and sequencing. Two dogs (5%) were serologically positive for Dirofilaria immitis antigens, one (3%) was positive for Ehrlichia canis antibodies and nine (24nbsp;%) were positive for A. platys antibodies. Co-infections were frequent. Haemoplasma prevalence was highest (73%, 16/22) in Central Australia and lowest (22%, 2/9) in Western Australia (p = 0.017). In contrast, B. vogeli prevalence was low in Central Australia (18%, 4/22) but higher (78%, 7/9) in Western Australia (p = 0.003).ConclusionsThis is the first time haemoplasma infections, including a novel species, have been molecularly documented in Australian dogs. The wide regional variation in prevalence of some of the haemoparasite infections detected in this study warrants further investigation.
Highlights
Tick-borne haemoparasites Babesia vogeli and Anaplasma platys are common among the free-roaming canine populations associated with Aboriginal communities in Australia, whilst the prevalence of haemoplasmas, which are suspected to be tick-borne, remained unexplored
No samples were positive by the Anaplasmataceae family conventional PCR (cPCR) and negative by the A. platys quantitative PCR (qPCR)
B. vogeli prevalence was low in Central Australia (4/22; 18%) but higher (6/9; 66%) in Western Australia
Summary
Tick-borne haemoparasites Babesia vogeli and Anaplasma platys are common among the free-roaming canine populations associated with Aboriginal communities in Australia, whilst the prevalence of haemoplasmas, which are suspected to be tick-borne, remained unexplored. Dogs associated with the Aboriginal communities in the remote regions of Australia are considered to be freeroaming as they are owned but not confined in any manner Amongst this canine population, infestation with the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) is endemic and infections with Anaplasma platys and Babesia vogeli, tick-borne haemoparasites associated with R. sanguineus, are widespread [1]. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of canine haemoplasma infections in free-roaming dogs from several remote Aboriginal communities (see Figure 1), Ti Tree (Nturiya and Pmara) in the Northern Territory (Central Australia), Tiwi Islands (off the coast of the Northern Territory), Goodooga A further aim was to determine if such infections were associated with other haemoparasites
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