Canine tick-borne pathogens in Cyprus and a unique canine case of multiple co-infections

Attipa, Charalampos; Hicks, Chelsea; Barker, Emi; Christodoulou, Vasiliki; Neofytou, Kyriaki; Mylonakis, Mathios E.; Siarkou, Victoria I.; Vingopoulou, Elpida I.; Soutter, Francesca; Chochlakis, Dimosthenis; Psaroulaki, Anna; Papasouliotis, Kostas; Tasker, Séverine

doi:10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.12.006

Cited by 23 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 28 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…ticks are common, it would be expected that the pathogens related to this tick species would be also prevalent [ 15 , 24 , 60 ]. However, comparing the present study with other recent studies from Croatia [ 61 ], Greece [ 62 , 63 ], Corsica [ 64 ], Cyprus [ 65 ], Tunisia [ 66 ] and Israel [ 67 ], it is evident that E. canis , Hepatozoon spp. Babesia spp.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

Does co-infection with vector-borne pathogens play a role in clinical canine leishmaniosis?

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundThe severity of canine leishmaniosis (CanL) due to Leishmania infantum might be affected by other vector-borne organisms that mimic its clinical signs and clinicopathological abnormalities. The aim of this study was to determine co-infections with other vector-borne pathogens based on serological and molecular techniques in dogs with clinical leishmaniosis living in Spain and to associate them with clinical signs and clinicopathological abnormalities as well as disease severity.MethodsSixty-one dogs with clinical leishmaniosis and 16 apparently healthy dogs were tested for Rickettsia conorii, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Bartonella henselae antigens by the immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and for E. canis, Anaplasma spp., Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp. and filarioid DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).ResultsAmong the dogs examined by IFAT, the seroprevalences were: 69% for R. conorii, 57% for E. canis, 44% for A. phagocytophilum and 37% for B. henselae; while the prevalences found by PCR were: 8% for Ehrlichia/Anaplasma, 3% for Anaplasma platys and 1% for H. canis. No other pathogen DNA was detected. Statistical association was found between dogs with clinical leishmaniosis and seroreactivity to R. conorii antigen (Fisher’s exact test: P = 0.025, OR = 4.1, 95% CI = 1–17) and A. phagocytophilum antigen (Fisher’s exact test: P = 0.002, OR = 14.3, 95% CI = 2–626) and being positive to more than one serological or molecular tests (co-infections) (Mann-Whitney test: U = 243, Z = -2.6, n1 = 14, n2 = 61, P = 0.01) when compared with healthy dogs. Interestingly, a statistical association was found between the presence of R. conorii, E. canis, A. phagocytophilum and B. henselae antibodies in sick dogs and some clinicopathological abnormalities such as albumin and albumin/globulin ratio decrease and increase in serum globulins. Furthermore, seroreactivity with A. phagocytophilum antigens was statistically associated with CanL clinical stages III and IV.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that dogs with clinical leishmaniosis from Catalonia (Spain) have a higher rate of co-infections with other vector-borne pathogens when compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, positivity to some vector-borne pathogens was associated with more marked clinicopathological abnormalities as well as disease severity with CanL.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

Does co-infection with vector-borne pathogens play a role in clinical canine leishmaniosis?

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…All dogs presented as clinical patients to a veterinary centre in Paphos, Cyprus, an area with high prevalence of L . infantum in dogs [ 13 ] and endemic for canine VBPs [ 14 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We calculated the sample size to allow the identification of risk for VBP co-infection in dogs with ClinL as follows. On the basis of the admission frequencies for VBPs in the study’s veterinary centre and previously published data [ 14 , 22 – 24 ] the expected proportion of control dogs being exposed to VBPs was estimated at 5%. The power calculation was performed using the on-line EpiTools epidemiological calculator ( http://epitools.ausvet.com.au ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association between canine leishmaniosis and Ehrlichia canis co-infection: a prospective case-control study

et al. 2018

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundIn the Mediterranean basin, Leishmania infantum is a major cause of disease in dogs, which are frequently co-infected with other vector-borne pathogens (VBP). However, the associations between dogs with clinical leishmaniosis (ClinL) and VBP co-infections have not been studied. We assessed the risk of VBP infections in dogs with ClinL and healthy controls.MethodsWe conducted a prospective case-control study of dogs with ClinL (positive qPCR and ELISA antibody for L. infantum on peripheral blood) and clinically healthy, ideally breed-, sex- and age-matched, control dogs (negative qPCR and ELISA antibody for L. infantum on peripheral blood) from Paphos, Cyprus. We obtained demographic data and all dogs underwent PCR on EDTA-blood extracted DNA for haemoplasma species, Ehrlichia/Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp., and Hepatozoon spp., with DNA sequencing to identify infecting species. We used logistic regression analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM) to evaluate the risk of VBP infections between ClinL cases and controls.ResultsFrom the 50 enrolled dogs with ClinL, DNA was detected in 24 (48%) for Hepatozoon spp., 14 (28%) for Mycoplasma haemocanis, 6 (12%) for Ehrlichia canis and 2 (4%) for Anaplasma platys. In the 92 enrolled control dogs, DNA was detected in 41 (45%) for Hepatozoon spp., 18 (20%) for M. haemocanis, 1 (1%) for E. canis and 3 (3%) for A. platys. No Babesia spp. or “Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum” DNA was detected in any dog. No statistical differences were found between the ClinL and controls regarding age, sex, breed, lifestyle and use of ectoparasitic prevention. A significant association between ClinL and E. canis infection (OR = 12.4, 95% CI: 1.5–106.0, P = 0.022) was found compared to controls by multivariate logistic regression. This association was confirmed using SEM, which further identified that younger dogs were more likely to be infected with each of Hepatozoon spp. and M. haemocanis, and dogs with Hepatozoon spp. were more likely to be co-infected with M. haemocanis.ConclusionsDogs with ClinL are at a higher risk of co-infection with E. canis than clinically healthy dogs. We recommend that dogs diagnosed with ClinL should be tested for E. canis co-infection using PCR.

show abstract

“…The pathogens infecting this cat were recently found to have a PCR prevalence of 3.1% for L infantum , 58.0% for Hepatozoon species and 33.0% for CMhm in non-healthy Cypriot cats, 3 with L infantum and Hepatozoon canis also being reported in the canine population of this island. 17 Significant associations between L infantum infection and H felis and CMt infections in cats using multivariable logistic regression have been reported, suggesting impaired host immune response due to the multiple coinfections. 3 This could have been a component leading to the persistent L infantum parasitaemia in this cat in the face of the Hepatozoon species and CMhm coinfections.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Follow-up monitoring in a cat with leishmaniosis and coinfections with Hepatozoon felis and ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum’

Attipa

Neofytou

Yiapanis

et al. 2017

Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery Open Reports

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Case summaryA 6-year-old female neutered domestic shorthair cat from Cyprus was presented with multiple ulcerated skin nodules. Cytology and histopathology of the lesions revealed granulomatous dermatitis with intracytoplasmic organisms, consistent with amastigotes of Leishmania species. Biochemistry identified a mild hyperproteinaemia. Blood extraction and PCR detected Leishmania species, Hepatozoon species and ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum’ (CMhm) DNA. Subsequent sequencing identified Hepatozoon felis. Additionally, the rRNA internal transcribed spacer 1 locus of Leishmania infantum was partially sequenced and phylogeny showed it to cluster with species derived from dogs in Italy and Uzbekistan, and a human in France. Allopurinol treatment was administered for 6 months. Clinical signs resolved in the second month of treatment with no deterioration 8 months post-treatment cessation. Quantitative PCR and ELISA were used to monitor L infantum blood DNA and antibody levels. The cat had high L infantum DNA levels pretreatment that gradually declined during treatment but increased 8 months post-treatment cessation. Similarly, ELISA revealed high levels of antibodies pretreatment, which gradually declined during treatment and increased slightly 8 months post-treatment cessation. The cat remained PCR positive for CMhm and Hepatozoon species throughout the study. There was no clinical evidence of relapse 24 months post-treatment.Relevance and novel informationTo our knowledge, this is the first clinical report of a cat with leishmaniosis with H felis and CMhm coinfections. The high L infantum DNA levels post-treatment cessation might indicate that although the lesions had resolved, prolonged or an alternative treatment could have been considered.

show abstract

Canine tick-borne pathogens in Cyprus and a unique canine case of multiple co-infections

Abstract: Graphical abstract

Cited by 23 publications

References 28 publications

Does co-infection with vector-borne pathogens play a role in clinical canine leishmaniosis?

Does co-infection with vector-borne pathogens play a role in clinical canine leishmaniosis?

Association between canine leishmaniosis and Ehrlichia canis co-infection: a prospective case-control study

Follow-up monitoring in a cat with leishmaniosis and coinfections with Hepatozoon felis and ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum’

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About