Infestation with fleas, ticks and lice in sheltered stray dogs in Turkey

This study provides data about canine parvovirus (CPV) types circulating among dogs in Turkey. Sixty-five samples from dogs with and without clinical signs of parvovirus infection were collected between April 2009 and February 2010. The samples were subsequently tested for CPV using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Twenty-five samples (38.4%) were positive; when positive samples were characterized by sequence analysis, results showed that both CPV-2a (17/25, 68%) and CPV-2b (8/25, 32%) strains are circulating among domestic dogs in Turkey. This is the first molecular characterization study of CPVs from dogs based on partial VP2 gene sequences in Turkey.

The first report of self-directed aggression in a stray dog in Turkey

A molecular and parasitological survey of Hepatozoon canis in domestic dogs in Turkey

Background: Cryptosporidium species and Giardia duodenalis are important protozoan parasites due to their wide host range and potential as zoonotic diseases. These parasites, responsible for Cryptosporidiosis and Giardiasis, are significant health concerns and have garnered attention from both the public and veterinary fields. Pets, such as dogs and cats, are susceptible to these infections and play a crucial role in transmitting these protozoans to humans. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence, species, genotypes and zoonotic significance of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in asymptomatic adult stray cats and dogs. Methods: Fecal samples from 75 adult stray animal, 42 dogs and 33 cats, were collected in Diyarbakýr city, southeastern Anatolia, Turkey. Direct immunofluorescence test was used to confirm the presence of G. duoenalis cysts and cryptosporidium spp. oocysts in collected fecal samples. Microscopic analysis was used to count the number of cysts/oocysts per gram as specified by the manufacturer. Molecular confirmation was done with Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using Giardia SSU-rDNA and Cryptosporidium spp. SSU rRNA gene. The secondary PCR products of all positive samples were sequenced in one directions on an automated sequencer. Nucleotide sequence analysis was performed by BLAST alignment using the National Center for Biotechnology Information database. Result: The prevalence of Cryptosporidium was 7.14% in 42 cats and 9.09% in 33 dogs. The prevalence of G. duodenalis was 23.80% in cats and 54.54% in dogs. The average number of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts per gram of cat and dog feces was 1866.3 and 1813.3, respectively. The average number of G. duodenalis cysts per gram of cat and dog feces was 1011.6 and 4786, respectively. All Cryptosporidium isolates were determined as C. canis in dogs and C. felis in cats. C. canis and C. felis isolates identified in the study, MT329018.1 and MN696800.1, AF159113.1 and KM977642.1 showed similarity with Genbank number, respectively. Assemblages A, E, C, D were found in dogs and assemblages A and E in cats in the result of the sequence of 130 bp gene fragments obtained from G. duodenalis isolates. This study sequence analysis of G. duodenalis cat isolates identified assemblages A (50%/10) and E (50%/10). In this study, assemblage E was the most common genotype isolated in dogs (38.8%), followed by Assemblage C (27.7%), Assemblage D (16.6%) and Assemblage A (15.5%). Assemblage A, which has zoonotic importance, was detected in cats and dogs, while assemblage E in cats and dogs was reported for the first time in Turkey.

The seroprevalence of Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii was investigated in stray urban dogs and shepherd and farm guard dogs from rural areas sampled from 10 provinces of Turkey. Sera from 855 dogs were examined for the presence of anti-B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii antibodies by indirect fluorescent antibody test. Overall, 56 (6.6%) of the 855 dogs examined, including 16 (3%) of the 522 stray dogs and 40 (12%) of the 333 rural dogs, were seropositive. This is the first report on prevalence of antibodies to B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii in dogs in Turkey.

Past to present: echinococcosis in Turkey

Anaplasma phagocytophilum causes high-grade fever in humans, ruminants, horses, cats, and dogs. A. phagocytophilum, which causes granulocytic anaplasmosis in dogs, has a wide geographical distribution in the world, but there are not many studies on the Anaplasma species in dogs in Turkey. A. phagocytophilum, which infects leukocytes in dog, might also be zoonotic. This study aimed to investigate the A. phagocytophilum prevalence in stray dogs in Batman province of Turkey using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique. Blood samples were drawn into EDTA tubes from the venae cephalica antebrachii of randomly selected 97 asymptomatic dogs in total. Identification of A. phagocytophilum was carried out using the conventional PCR method that was conducted by using the DNAs obtained from the samples. A. phagocytophilum prevalence was found to be 3.1% in the examined blood samples. In conclusion, infection of dogs in Batman province with A. phagocytophilum has been revealed molecularly for the first time with this study. It is considered that detection of this species, which can cause disease (Human granulocytic anaplasmosis) in humans as well, has contributed epidemiologically to the data on the spread of the disease throughout Turkey. Moreover, investigating the tick species that transmit the disease in the region where the study was conducted is important for developing effective control strategies against the disease.

IntroductionToxocara canis and Toxocara cati are roundworms of dogs and cats. The purpose of this study was to investigate the infection caused by these ascarids in cats and dogs, using microscopic and molecular analysis methods.Material and MethodsAdult ascarids were gathered from the faeces of dogs and cats in Van province, in 2015–2016. Existing keys and PCR sequencing of the ITS-2 fragment were used to identify the morphological features of the parasite species.ResultsIt was observed that out of 20 adult ascarids, 17 and 3 were found to be Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati, respectively. The ITS-2 gene region was amplified by PCR to perform molecular analysis. Genotyping indicated that the dogs and cats were infected with T. canis and T. cati, respectively, and none had Toxascaris leonina.ConclusionTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the molecular characteristics of adult ascaridoid nematodes from cats and dogs in Turkey. The molecular approaches established in this study enable molecular identification and genetic structure studies of the ascaridoids.


 Rabies is a particularly dangerous, natural, infectious disease of animals and humans, characterized by encephalomyelitis with severe disorders of the nervous system. Rabies is a zoonotic virus in mammals that are present on all continents except Antarctica. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), rabies causes about 70,000 deaths each year. In Europe, dogs (canis) are the main reservoir and vector of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), the main cause of most rabies cases in countries such as Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian Federation, as well as in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Recent statistics provide evidence that both foxes and dogs in Turkey can play a role in rabies reservoir. In Azerbaijan, rabies is a disease that must be reported and is endemic throughout the country. The characteristic (density, growth dynamics) of dogs population, which is the main source of rabies disease, is unknown. There is a large population of stray dogs in Azerbaijan.