Abstract
Blood samples of 626 rural dogs, 140 Andean foxes (Lycalopex culpaeus), and 83 South American grey foxes (L. griseus) from six bioregions of Chile spanning 3000 km were screened for Mycoplasma DNA by conventional PCR and sequencing. Risk factors of infection were inferred using Generalized Linear Mixed Models and genetic structure by network analyses. Overall, Mycoplasma haemocanis/Mycoplasma haemofelis (Mhc/Mhf) and Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum (CMhp) observed prevalence was 23.8% and 12.8% in dogs, 20.1% and 7.2% in Andean foxes, and 26.5% and 8.4% in grey foxes, respectively. Both hemoplasmas were confirmed in all the bioregions, with higher prevalence in those where ticks from the Rhipicephalus sanguineus species group were absent. Candidatus M. haematominutum and a Mycoplasma sp. previously found in South American carnivores were detected in one fox each. Although the most prevalent Mhc/Mhf and CMhp sequence types were shared between dogs and foxes, network analysis revealed genetic structure of Mhc/Mhf between hosts in some regions. Male sex was associated with a higher risk of Mhc/Mhf and CMhp infection in dogs, and adult age with CMhp infection, suggesting that direct transmission is relevant. No risk factor was identified in foxes. Our study provides novel information about canine hemoplasmas with relevance in distribution, transmission routes, and cross-species transmission.
Highlights
Hemoplasmas are bacteria that parasitize red blood cells of a variety of domestic and wild mammals [1,2], causing acute and chronic hemolytic anemia in dogs
The sequencing of 320 bp revealed the presence of 30 nucleotide sequence types (Table 3), of that 24 corresponded with Mycoplasma haemocanis (Mhc)/Mhf
Of the remaining nucleotide sequence type (ntST), four corresponded to Candidatus M. haematoparvum (CMhp), one presented 100% identity with Candidatus Mycoplasma haematominutum (CMhm), and another one was identical to Mycoplasma sp. clone ZD019, a hemoplasma detected in diverse South American carnivores (Table 3)
Summary
Hemoplasmas are bacteria that parasitize red blood cells of a variety of domestic and wild mammals [1,2], causing acute and chronic hemolytic anemia in dogs. Molecular techniques allowed the differentiation of two species of hemoplasmas in canids: Mycoplasma haemocanis (Mhc), and Candidatus M. haematoparvum (CMhp) [5]. Other hemoplasma species have been detected in dogs, such as Candidatus M. haemobos [6], Candidatus M. haematominutum [7], and M. turicense [8]. The transmission routes of hemoplasmas are still under debate, blood-sucking arthropods have often been implicated in the transmission of some of these agents [9]. Information about the presence and distribution of these agents in Chile is scarce
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