Domestic Carnivores Research Articles

Phenotypic Characterization of Encephalitis in the BRAINS of Badgers Naturally Infected with Canine Distemper Virus

Canine distemper virus (CDV) affects a huge diversity of domestic and wild carnivores, with increasing numbers of mortality events worldwide. The local cell-mediated immune response elicited against a natural infection is an important factor in determining the outcome of CDV infection. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to describe the local immune response within the central nervous systems (CNSs) of seven badgers naturally infected with CDV in Asturias (Atlantic Spain) and to determine the phenotype and distribution of microglial cells, T and B lymphocytes, and astrocytes in the foci of gliosis located in the thalamus and cerebellum using immunohistochemistry. The immunohistochemical assessment demonstrated the presence of Iba1-positive microglia and GFAP-positive astrocytes in the foci of gliosis, whereas T (CD3-negative) or B (CD20-negative) lymphocytes in those same lesions were absent. Our results also revealed that the badgers with natural CDV encephalitis presented lesions mostly located in the white matter of the thalamus and cerebellum, suggesting a CDV-specific tropism for the white matter of badger brains in those locations. The knowledge gained in the field of the immunopathogenesis of distemper disease affecting the CNSs of badgers could help to clarify CDV disease patterns in this species.

The jaguar (Panthera onca) as a potential new host of Dracunculus sp.

Nematode species of the genus Dracunculus (Spirurida: Dracunculoidea) infect tissues and body cavities of reptiles, domestic and wild carnivores, and humans. The definitive hosts acquire the infection by ingesting intermediate (i.e., cyclopoid copepod) or paratenic (i.e., amphibians and fishes) hosts. Here we report the jaguar (Panthera onca) as a potential new host for Dracunculus sp. The nematode was collected from an ulcerated cutaneous nodule on the left anterior limb of a female jaguar in the municipality of Miranda, Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. Based on the morphology of first stage larvae collected from a small fragment of the uterus of the adult nematode, the species was identified as Dracunculus sp. Reichard, 1759. Additionally, the morphological identification was molecularly confirmed by sequencing the cox1 gene. This report advocates for further investigations into the transmission cycle of this parasite in the Brazilian Pantanal wetland, considering the role of wildlife hosts and the zoonotic potential of Dracunculus species in that area.

Demodecosis in domestic carnivores, incidence, predisposition, forms of disease manifestation

Work has been carried out to study the incidence of demodicosis in domestic cats and dogs in Novosibirsk. We collected data and examined the incidence of demodicosis in domestic carnivores, considering the year's season, the age of the animal, and the species. Demodicosis mainly occurs in dogs but very rarely in cats. Monitoring the occurrence of demodicosis of carnivores in the city of Novosibirsk over the past five years has shown the dynamics of the increase in the incidence of it in domestic cats and dogs. Data on the age-related predisposition of animals to acarosis indicate their more frequent occurrence in patients in the categories of up to 1 year and from 1 to 3 years, i.e., young animals. A study of the seasonal dynamics of the incidence of demodicosis in domestic carnivores showed that the peak incidence occurs in the autumn period of the year. This is due to a decrease in the immune resistance of the patient's body, weather factors (fluctuations in temperature, air humidity) and the previous period of high activity and contact between animals during the warm period of the year. In addition, we studied the occurrence of animals with various forms of the disease: scaly, pustular, papular, as well as local and generalised. We paid particular attention to the course of the disease, assessing the body's condition depending on the clinical form. Most patients were admitted for treatment to the clinic with the scaly form of demodicosis, while pustular and papular forms were observed much less frequently. Regarding the degree of skin damage, local demodicosis prevailed over the generalised form of the disease in dogs and cats. In dogs, the disease conditions were significantly different from those in cats. Based on statistical data, we can conclude that there is a greater variety of forms of demodicosis in dogs.

Opistorchids in the Novosibirsk urboecosystem

Opisthorchiasis in Novosibirsk and the Novosibirsk region is registered annually. Significant differences in the indicators of the epidemic process in Novosibirsk were noted in comparison with those in the Russian Federation, where the maximum and minimum average long-term incidence rate is 6–10 times lower than in Novosibirsk. The urban population share accounts for more than 75% of cases in the structure of the incidence of opisthorchiasis in the Novosibirsk region. The incidence rate of people with opisthorchiasis in different districts of the city varies from 85.0 per 100 thousand people to 170.3 in 2005–2015, an increase in the incidence rate is observed in most administrative districts and in the whole city. The opisthorchids infection rate of domestic carnivores is 15%. Cats are infested more often than dogs – 18.1 and 10.7%, respectively. In two districts of the city, Kirovsky and Sovetsky ones, the level of infection of domestic carnivores and the incidence of people significantly exceed those in other areas. In 6 fish species of the Cyprinidae family (Leuciscus idus, L. leuciscus, Rutilus rutilus, Abramis brama, Leucaspius delineatus, Carassius carassius), caught in urban and suburban water bodies, 3 opisthorchid species were found, namely: Opisthorchis felineus (Rivolta, 1884), Metorchis bilis (Braun, 1890), and M. xanthosomus (Creplin, 1846). The first two ones are of epidemic importance, while the last one is of epizootic significance. The total invasion prevalence of commercial ide by opisthorchid larvae in the Ob River was 71.8%, of which O. felineus metacercariae accounted for 69.1%. The overall infection level in small aboriginal fish in the small rivers Nizhnyaya Yeltsovka, Inya and Tula is 45.8, 55.3, and 22.2%, respectively. Thus, favorable environmental conditions have developed in Novosibirsk for transformation of the natural focus of opisthorchiasis into an anthropic one.

Analysis of the rabies epizootic in the Central Federal District of Russia in 2018–2022

Relevance. At present, a complex epizootic situation with rabies persists in Russia. Every year, foci of rabies are registered in many subjects of the Russian Federation, with the largest number of cases occurring in the Central and Volga Federal Districts, on the territory of which a high level of the episodic index has been maintained for almost a decade (0.99 and 0.978, respectively).Metods. The purpose of the study was to spatiotemporally analyze the results of the development of the epizootic process and identify the main causes of rabies outbreaks in the Central Federal District (CFD) of the Russian Federation over the past five years (2018–2022). The work used information on the epizootic situation of rabies in official reports (FGBU «Center for Veterinary Medicine» of the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia), data from published scientific sources and the results of our own research. Analysis of the development of epizootics in the CFD was carried out descriptively and retrospectively.Results. Persistent epizootic trouble in the CFD is confirmed by the annual detection of cases of rabies in all subjects of the district. It has been established that the formation of rabies virus foci is due to the presence of favorable landscape and natural and climatic conditions for maintaining a high number of wild animals, the main reservoir and source of rabies, and periodic introductions of infection from adjacent regions. The spread of rabies in the CFD mainly depends on the control of the number of neglected animals and on the regularity of preventive vaccination of wild and domestic carnivores.

Epidemiological and Molecular Approaches for a Fatal Feline Panleukopenia Virus Infection of Captive Siberian Tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) in the Republic of Korea.

Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), a member of the species Protoparvovirus carnivoran1, is one of the most fatal pathogens of domestic and wild carnivores. The virus endemically infects domestic carnivores worldwide and its cross-species transmission threatens endangered wild carnivores, including Siberian tigers. In this study, a fatal FPV infection in endangered Siberian tigers was investigated to trace the origin of the virus and elucidate the reason behind FPV's infection of the vaccinated tigers. Our genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the virus detected in the infected tigers, designated as the KTPV-2305 strain, was closely related to FPV strains circulating in Korean cats, suggesting that it might have been transmitted from stray cats wandering around the zoo. Compared with the prototype FPV reference strains, the KTPV-2305 strain carried three distinct amino acid (aa) mutations in the VP2 protein sequence (I101T, I232V, and L562V) in this study. These three mutations are commonly found in most global FPV strains, including Korean strains, indicating that these mutations are common evolutionary characteristics of currently circulating global FPVs. The reason why the vaccinated tigers were infected with FPV was most likely the insufficient protective immunity of the affected tigress or vaccine failure triggered by the interference of maternal-derived antibodies in the affected tiger cubs. These findings suggest that improved vaccination guidelines are urgently needed to save the lives of wild carnivores from this fatal virus.

Citizen science and diet analysis shed light on dog-wildlife interactions in Italy

Domestic dogs Canis familiaris may cause a range of impacts on wildlife through predation, competition, pathogen transmission, harassment and hybridisation with wolves and other wild canids, yet such effects are less known than those of other domestic species.In this work, we have combined citizen science data and information collected by scientists on the potential impact of free-ranging dogs on wildlife in Italy. Citizen science data, obtained through online surveys on social networks, consisted of pictures of wildlife killed or harassed by dogs from 2002 to 2022. Additional records were collected from articles in newspapers. We also provide the results of a diet analysis from domestic dog scats, collected in the countryside in central Italy in 1998–1999, for which we assessed prey selection by comparing consumption with availability. The citizen science survey provided 589 records: dogs attacked and killed 95 species, mostly mammals and birds, including small game species. Among species of conservation concern, dogs attacked/killed Mustela putorius and Hystrix cristata, both included in Annex IV of the Habitats Directive, and the Italian endemic Lepus corsicanus and Passer italiae. Over 90% of the attacks were caused by unleashed dogs in the presence of their owner in urban and periurban areas. The 148 dog scats analysed contained 30 prey species, mainly mammals, which made the staple of the dog diet, followed by amorphous material, most likely pet food. Remains of domestic sheep were frequent in the diet, as were hares Lepus europaeus and roe deer Capreolus capreolus among wild mammals. Wild boar Sus scrofa ranked first among the selected prey species, followed by hares, whereas roe deer and grey partridges Perdix perdix were negatively selected. The mitigation of the impact of domestic carnivores on wildlife strongly requires awareness raising to promote responsible pet ownership and strict avoidance of dogs’ free-ranging behaviour, especially where encounters with wildlife are most likely.

DNA Vaccine Co-Expressing Hemagglutinin and IFN-γ Provides Partial Protection to Ferrets against Lethal Challenge with Canine Distemper Virus.

Canine distemper (CD), caused by canine distemper virus (CDV), is a highly contagious and lethal disease in domestic and wild carnivores. Although CDV live-attenuated vaccines have reduced the incidence of CD worldwide, low levels of protection are achieved in the presence of maternal antibodies in juvenile animals. Moreover, live-attenuated CDV vaccines may retain residual virulence in highly susceptible species and cause disease. Here, we generated several CDV DNA vaccine candidates based on the biscistronic vector (pIRES) co-expressing virus wild-type or codon-optimized hemagglutinin (H) and nucleocapsid (N) or ferret interferon (IFN)-γ, as a molecular adjuvant, respectively. Apparently, ferret (Mustela putorius furo)-specific codon optimization increased the expression of CDV H and N proteins. A ferret model of CDV was used to evaluate the protective immune response of the DNA vaccines. The results of the vaccinated ferrets showed that the DNA vaccine co-expressing the genes of codon-optimized H and ferret IFN-γ (poptiH-IRES-IFN) elicited the highest anti-CDV serum-neutralizing antibodies titer (1:14) and cytokine responses (upregulated TNF-α, IL-4, IL-2, and IFN-γ expression) after the third immunization. Following vaccination, the animals were challenged with a lethal CDV 5804Pe/H strain with a dose of 105.0 TCID50. Protective immune responses induced by the DNA vaccine alleviated clinical symptoms and pathological changes in CDV-infected ferrets. However, it cannot completely prevent virus replication and viremia in vivo as well as virus shedding due to the limited neutralizing antibody level, which eventually contributed to a survival rate of 75% (3/4) against CDV infection. Therefore, the improved strategies for the present DNA vaccines should be taken into consideration to develop more protective immunity, which includes increasing antigen expression or alternative delivery routes, such as gene gun injection.

Agonal Thrombus at Necropsy-A Third Category of Blood Coagulation in Domestic Carnivores.

Agonal thrombus is infrequently discussed in veterinary forensic pathology, being misdiagnosed as postmortem coagulation. The main purpose of the present study is to confirm that agonal thrombosis is an important tool in ruling out sudden death and to characterize it by gross, histological, and immunohistochemical approaches. The investigations have been conducted on 56 domestic carnivores. Fibrin was observed as rosette-like arrangements around platelet aggregates, loose network, wave-like pattern or short fibers and the additional tendency of lines of Zahn being noted inconsistently. All agonal thrombi had positive reactions for anti-CD61 for platelets, disposed in variable-sized clumps or in a linear pattern close to endothelial cells of endocardium. The same positive reaction has been noted to anti-fibrinogen and anti-fibrin antibodies. CD45, CD68 and von Willebrand factor had a very low to absent expression. Cardiac lesions were found in 22 cases (39.29%) suggesting predisposition to agonal thrombosis in animals with cardiovascular diseases. The results prove that agonal thrombus is a third category of blood coagulation that forms strictly during agonal death. The microscopical findings describe the agonal thrombus similar to the morphology of recent thrombus vera. Given the results, the agonal thrombus is a useful tool that confirms the agonal suffering prior to death.

Characterization of the Tongue Worm, Linguatula serrata (Pentastomida), Identified from Hares (Lepus europaeus) in Romania.

Linguatula serrata (Frölich, 1789) is a widespread parasite known as the tongue worm belonging to the family Linguatulidae. The adult form of the parasite is usually located in the upper respiratory tract of domestic and wild carnivores while the larval forms are located in the visceral organs of intermediate hosts (various herbivorous mammals). Twenty-four European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) were examined in this study, of which two were positive with L. serrata nymphs. The collected nymphs were examined morphologically using electron-microscopic analysis and molecularly by amplification of 18S rRNA and COX1 genes. Lung tissue samples were also collected and histopathological examination was performed. Histopathological examination revealed the following lesions: generalized inflammatory oedema, granulomas with necrosis, calcification and fibrosis in the bronchial tree. The results of molecular sequencing for L. serrata specimens collected from the European brown hares are deposited in GenBank. This study presents the first report on Linguatula serrata nymphs collected from L. europaeus in Romania, using molecular and morphological characterization simultaneously.

Infection of sheep by Echinococcus multilocularis in Gansu, China: evidence from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analysis

BackgroundIn the normal life cycle of the parasite (Echinococcus multilocularis) that causes alveolar echinococcosis, domestic and wild carnivores act as definitive hosts, and rodents act as intermediate hosts. The presented study contributes to the research on the distribution and transmission pattern of E. multilocularis in China having identified sheep as an unusual intermediate host taking part in the domestic transmission of alveolar echinococcosis in Gansu Province, China.MethodsFrom 2020 to 2021, nine whitish different cyst-like were collected from the liver of sheep in Gansu Province for examination. A near complete mitochondrial (mt) genome and selected nuclear genes were amplified from the cyst-like lesion for identification. To confirm the status of the specimen, comparative analysis with reference sequences, phylogenetic analysis, and network analysis were performed.ResultsThe isolates displayed ≥ 98.87% similarity to E. multilocularis NADH dehydrogenase sub-unit 1 (nad1) (894 bp) reference sequences deposited in GenBank. Furthermore, amplification of the nad4 and nad2 genes also confirmed all nine samples as E. multilocularis with > 99.30% similarity. Additionally, three nuclear genes, pepck (1545 bp), elp-exons VII and VIII (566 bp), and elp-exon IX (256 bp), were successfully amplified and sequenced for one of the isolates with 98.42% similarity, confirming the isolates were correctly identified as E. multilocularis. Network analysis also correctly placed the isolates with other E. multilocularis.ConclusionsAs a result of the discovery of E. multilocularis in an unusual intermediate host, which is considered to have the highest zoonotic potential, the result clearly demonstrated the necessity for expanded surveillance in the area.Graphical

Spread of rabies in the Kyiv Oblast during 2020-2022

In Ukraine, there is a prominent level of rabies circulation among domestic and wild carnivores. Consequently, the epizootic situation of rabies in Ukraine requires studying the spread of this infection using modern surveillance tools, which allow for territorial assessment and identification of risk zones during analysis. The purpose of this research was to describe the spatial characteristics of the rabies epizootic in the Kyiv Oblast during 2020-2022, focusing on both wild and domestic animals. Official reporting data were analysed to examine the total number of samples of pathological material (brain tissue) collected from various animal species with suspected rabies. Positive samples were georeferenced and visualized using software to form clusters of rabies cases based on years and types of animals, creating point layers and density mapping of cases. The analysis revealed that in the Kyiv Oblast, 1788 samples of pathological brain material from animals with suspected rabies were examined, of which 237 were positive. The largest number of samples belonged to wild animals (primarily foxes), acting as a reservoir of the infection. The proportion of wild animals accounted for 64.4% of the total examined, but the number of positive samples varied between 1.7% and 5.5%. Compared to domestic animals (cats and dogs), this figure reached up to 30.0% of the total number of samples examined. Other animal species accounted for 3.2% of positive cases among the total examined. Thus, the highest morbidity rate was observed in domestic animals, representing 72.1% of the total identified positive cases. The highest density of rabies cases in the Kyiv Oblast was observed in the southwest and centre. Persistent clusters of rabies cases were in the Bila Tserkva district and the western outskirts of Kyiv. In the western part of Kyiv, the cluster was formed by cases in wild animals, cats, and dogs. In the Bila Tserkva district, the cluster was formed by cases in wild animals, cats, dogs, and cattle. The highest density of rabies cases in wild animals was registered on the western outskirts of Kyiv

Desafios pós-soltura: relato de caso de parasitose por Ancylostoma sp. em tamanduá-bandeira (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)

ABSTRACT The giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) is classified as vulnerable to extinction. Here, we report the occurrence of ancylostomiasis in a young male Myrmecophaga tridactyla. The animal was raised from a puppy in captivity with management directed toward rehabilitation and monitored soft release. Five months after release, significant weight loss was noted in the individual, who was captured for examinations, with detection of Ancylostoma sp. in coproparasitological analysis. Although common in domestic carnivores, this is the first report of hookworm disease in free-ranging giant anteaters. Due to the stress factor arising from adapting to the challenges in the new environment, long-term post-release monitoring of animals undergoing rehabilitation is extremely important to increase the chance of survival of individuals. The giant anteater was released after treatment with vermifuge composed of fenbendazole, pyrantel pamoate, and praziquantel.

<i>Alveococcus multilocularis</i> in the Arctic fox (<i>Alopex lagopus</i>) in the Arctic zone of Yakutia

The purpose of the researchis to study of infection of white foxes (Alopex lagopus) with alveococcosis in the Arctic zone of Yakutia and to perform molecular genetic study ofAlveococcus multilocularis.Materials and methods. To determine the Alveococcus infection in the Arctic fox in the Arctic zone of Yakutia, 19 specimens were studied in 2018, 27 specimens in 2019, 51 specimens in 2020 and 119 specimens in 2021 by complete and partial dissections of the gastrointestinal tract, other organs and tissues. The species identification of detected helminths was performed using the Identification Guide of Helminths in Carnivorous Mammals in the USSR (D. P. Kozlov, 1977). The collected helminths were fixed in 70% alcohol. Nineteen samples were studied by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to determineA. multilocularisisolates.Results and discussion. In the Russian Federation,A. multilocularisis widespread in Yakutia, Chukotka, Magadan Region, Krasnoyarsk, Altai, and Khabarovsk Territories, and other regions. In the Arctic zone, Arctic foxes are 100% infected withA. multilocularis. The parasite circulates among wild animals, mainly polar foxes and Arctic lemmings (Dicrostonyx torquatusPallas, 1778). Agricultural and wild ungulates become infected by ingesting parasite eggs, and dogs become infected by eating organs and tissues affected by multilocular alveococcosis. There is a risk of transmission ofA. multilocularisto humans. A person becomes infected in processing the skins of arctic foxes obtained in hunting, and through contact with infected domestic carnivores. An increase in white fox populations and in their infection rate includingA. multiloculariswas found in the tundra zone. In the Arctic zone of Yakutia,A. multilocularisform that was close to the North American N1 strain was found.

Lactation in domestic carnivores.

Lactation in domestic carnivores.

Approaches to identify canine distemper virus with neurological symptoms on the basis of molecular characterization of hemagglutinin and fusion genes.

Canine distemper virus (CDV), which causes severe infections in all domestic and wild carnivores, is transmitted by all secretions and excretions of infected animals. Despite the regular vaccination against it, CDV still manages to circulate in nature and is a worldwide problem in dogs. For many years in the world, the virus managed to circulate in nature. The current investigation aims to identify and characterize CDV in dogs with neurological symptoms and to determine whether CNS symptoms and phylogenetic data might be used to differentiate between CDV strains. The medical records of 35 dogs with central nervous system (CNS) symptoms were examined. An ELISA kit was used to identify CDV-specific IgG antibodies in all of the dogs' serum samples. RT-PCR confirmed the presence of CDV nucleic acid in 30 of these dogs. Of the RT-PCR-positive samples, 6 were randomly chosen for further sequencing, sequence comparisons, and phylogenetic reconstructions. Genes encoding the Hemagglutinin (H) and Fusion (F) proteins were partly sequenced and compared to other CDVs from throughout the world, including vaccine strains. The maximum likelihood method was used to build a phylogenetic tree using CDV H and F gene nucleotide sequences. According to phylogenetic analysis of partial H and F gene nucleotide sequences, the field CDVs in this investigation were unique and different from the vaccine strain. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that all Turkish CDV strains that induced CNS symptoms belonged to the European CDV clade. While the intricacy of the CNS and the complexities of glycosylation pathways may provide significant challenges to infections, future research will bring significant benefits by identifying evolutionarily conserved activities of N-glycosylation in CDV-infected dogs.

Suid alphaherpesvirus 1 of wild boar origin as a recent source of Aujeszky’s disease in carnivores in Germany

BackgroundThe high susceptibility of carnivores to Suid Alphaherpesvirus 1 [SuAHV1, synonymous pseudorabies virus (PrV)], renders them inadvertent sentinels for the possible occurrence of Aujeszky’s disease (AD) in domestic and wild swine populations. The aim of this study was to epidemiologically analyse the occurrence of PrV infections in domestic and wild animals in Germany during the last three decades and to genetically characterise the causative PrV isolates.MethodsPrV in dogs was detected using standard virological techniques including conventional and real time PCR, virus isolation or by immunohistochemistry. Available PrV isolates were characterized by partial sequencing of the open gC reading frame and the genetic traits were compared with those of archived PrV isolates from carnivores and domestic pigs from Germany before the elimination of AD in the domestic pig population.ResultsDuring 1995 and 2022, a total of 38 cases of AD in carnivores, e.g. dogs and red foxes, were laboratory confirmed. Sequencing and subsequent phylogenetic analysis of PrV isolates established a strong connection between AD cases in carnivores and the occurrence of PrV infections in European wild boars in the end phase of and after elimination of AD from the domestic pig population. While PrV infections occur at low numbers but regularly in hunting dogs, interestingly, PrV was not observed in grey wolves in Germany. In none of 682 dead-found grey wolves and wolf-dog hybrids tested from Germany during 2006–2022 could PrV infection be detected by molecular means.ConclusionsAlthough PrV has been eliminated from domestic pigs, spillover infections in domestic and wild carnivores should always be expected given the endemic presence of PrV in wild pig populations. Since detection of PrV DNA and virus in carnivores is sporadic even in areas with high seroprevalence of PrV in wild pigs, it may not reflect the full diversity of PrV.

Biomolecular Analysis of Canine Distemper Virus Strains in Two Domestic Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo)

Canine distemper is a contagious and severe systemic viral disease that affects domestic and wild carnivores worldwide. In this study, two adult female ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) were evaluated for cutaneous lesions. Scab, fur, and swab samples from the external auditory canal, cutaneous lesions, and scrapings were analyzed. Canine distemper virus (CDV)-positive samples underwent RT-PCR/RFLP with the restriction enzyme PsiI, and the hemagglutinin gene sequence was obtained. According to the restriction enzyme and sequence analyses, the viral strains were typed as CDV field strains that are included within the Europe lineage and distinct from those including vaccinal CDV strains. The sequence analysis showed the highest nucleotide identity rates in older Europe lineage CDV strains collected from dogs and a fox in Europe. This study is the first to report on CDV infection in ferrets in southern Italy and contributes to the current knowledge about natural CDV infection in this species. In conclusion, vaccination remains crucial for preventing the disease and counteracting cross-species infection. Molecular biology techniques can enable the monitoring of susceptible wild animals by ensuring the active surveillance of CDV spread.

Old and Novel Enteric Parvoviruses of Dogs.

Parvovirus infections have been well known for around 100 years in domestic carnivores. However, the use of molecular assays and metagenomic approaches for virus discovery and characterization has led to the detection of novel parvovirus species and/or variants in dogs. Although some evidence suggests that these emerging canine parvoviruses may act as primary causative agents or as synergistic pathogens in the diseases of domestic carnivores, several aspects regarding epidemiology and virus-host interaction remain to be elucidated.

Exposure of dogs and cats to Borrelia miyamotoi infected Ixodes ricinus ticks in urban areas of the city of Poznań, west-central Poland

Borrelia miyamotoi is an emerging human pathogen that causes a relapsing fever-like disease named B. miyamotoi disease. The bacterium belongs to the relapsing fever borreliae, and similar to spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato group, it is transmitted only by hard ticks of the Ixodes ricinus complex. To date, B. miyamotoi has not been demonstrated to cause illness in dogs or cats, and is poorly documented in veterinary medicine. The aim of this study was to determine the B. miyamotoi presence in (i) host-seeking ticks and (ii) engorged Ixodes sp. ticks collected from dogs and cats during their inspection in veterinary clinics of the city of Poznań, west-central Poland. Host-seeking ticks were sampled in dog walking areas localized in urban forested recreational sites of the city. In this study, 1,059 host-seeking and 837 engorged I. ricinus ticks collected from 680 tick-infested animals (567 dogs and 113 cats) were screened. Additionally, 31 I. hexagonus ticks (one larva, 13 nymphs, and 17 females) were collected from three cats; one larva and one nymph were collected from two dogs; and one dog was infested with a single Dermacentor reticulatus female.Borrelia DNA was identified by the amplification and sequencing of the V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene and flaB gene fragments. DNA of B. miyamotoi was detected in 22 (2.1%) of the host-seeking ticks (in all developmental tick stages and in all study areas). In addition, the engorged I. ricinus ticks exhibited a similar B. miyamotoi presence (1.8%). Fifteen I. ricinus ticks collected from animals tested positive for the presence of B. miyamotoi DNA, and the DNA of B. miyamotoi was observed in three (9.1%; one female and two nymphs) I. hexagonus ticks. The single D. reticulatus female collected from a dog tested PCR-negative for the bacterium. The results of this study demonstrated the establishment and broad presence of the bacterium in tick populations from different urban ecosystems of the city of Poznań. The lack of difference in the mean infection presence of animal-derived and host-seeking I. ricinus ticks suggests that the systematic surveillance of pets may be useful for the evaluation of human exposure to B. miyamotoi infected ticks in urban areas. Additional studies are required to further elucidate the role of domestic and wild carnivores in the epidemiology of B. miyamotoi, which remains unknown.