Molecular evaluation of piroplasms and hematological changes in canine blood stored in a clinical laboratory in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

Piroplasm species were analyzed by molecular tools in total 31 blood samples from positive dogs, previously checked by stained slides, stored until DNA extraction between 2016 to 2018 in the laboratory Clinical Analyzes in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro. The piroplasms were identified by PCR, targeting the 18S rRNA gene and sequencing. From the total number of samples only 24 (77.4%) were positive and show adequate nucleotide sequences for interpretation with identity between 93%-100% with Babesia vogeli in compared to the sequences isolated of infected dogs from other states in Brazil deposited on GenBank. Most of dogs infected with B. vogeli had anemia (62.5%) and thrombocytopenia (95.8%). The findings of this study are compatible with previous reports in the literature and highlight B. vogeli as the most incriminated species in canine piroplasmosis in Brazil, and thrombocytopenia the hematological alteration most frequently identified in this infection. It is important to note that this is the first study involving the molecular characterization of piroplasms in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, based on PCR followed by sequencing.

Microscopic Detection, Hematological Evaluation and Molecular Characterization of Piroplasms from Naturally Infected Dogs in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“…The molecular analyses of the present study only identified B. vogeli. In fact, B. vogeli is the piroplasmid species that has been most detected in dogs in different regions of Brazil [16,18,25,28,[30][31][32][35][36][37], and in other countries [37][38][39][40][41][42]. However, in addition to this species, the piroplasmid R. vitalii has also been detected in dogs in the southern region of Brazil and in municipalities in the mountain region of the state of Rio de Janeiro, by means of molecular tools [13,14,16].…”

“…Although no census data on the canine population are available, it can be stated that in a general manner, the pet population has been increasing proportionally with increases in the human population. This has consequently favored increasing populations of ixodids and of the infectious agents that these vectors transmit, such as piroplasmids [18]. In general, the intensity of dog infestations by R. sanguineus, its main host, can vary, both geographically and seasonally, being higher in stray dogs.…”

“…In Brazil, information on canine piroplasmosis remains sparse. There is a need for additional studies and reports in which the methodology incorporates laboratory techniques that are more suitable for taxonomically differentiating between these agents, and makes correlations between the diagnosis and the risk factors and hematological alterations that might be inherent to these infections [18].…”

Piroplasmose em cão: relato de caso

“…As manifestações clínicas nas hemoparasitoses são, geralmente, semelhantes e inespecíficas. Os principais sinais associados à enfermidade e relatados pela literatura são: apatia, anorexia e febre; acompanhados de algumas alterações hematológicas, como anemia e trombocitopenia (Prado et al, 2019& Santos et al, 2020. As alterações clínicas e patológicas que ocorrem em cães infectados podem variar conforme a espécie de Babesia envolvida na infecção (Santos et al, 2020).…”

Face to face

“…Within this context, helminths and apicomplexan protozoa are included, which can infect domestic animals in urban and rural environments. [ 6 7 8 9 ]…”