Seroprevalence of Tick-Borne Infections in Military Working Dogs in the Republic of Korea

Abstract

In this study we endeavored to determine the seroprevalence of tick-borne infections in the military working dog (MWD) population in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Our sample population consisted of 182 serum samples from MWDs for 3 different years (1996, 2002, and 2007). In addition, 63 whole blood samples from 2007 were available for polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serum samples were evaluated by a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and by ELISA only for Borrelia burgdorferi. PCR amplification of DNA was performed to screen for Ehrlichia canis, E. chaffeensis, E. ewingii, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, A. platys, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Rickettsia rickettsii, as well as Babesia and Theileria species using previously published primers and probes. A total of 56 (30.8%) MWDs were positive by at least one serologic test. Seroprevalences for Anaplasma and Ehrlichia were 4.4% and 0.6% based on the ELISA, and 24.7% and 22.5% based on the IFA, respectively. ELISA testing for Borrelia yielded 2 (1.1%) positive results. In parallel testing using both the ELISA and IFA tests, the percentages of dogs with one or more positive results were 34.1%, 25.9%, and 28.4%, for 1996, 2002, and 2007, respectively. There was no significant differences in seroprevalence based on location, year, breed, or sex of the MWD. There was poor agreement between IFA and ELISA test results. No MWD sample had a positive PCR result. MWDs stationed in Korea had serologic evidence of exposure to several tick-borne pathogens, but PCR testing did not identify any active infections.

Epidemiological survey of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in pet dogs in south-eastern China

“…B. burgdorferi is the agent of Lyme disease, which occurs globally, and can infect a wide-range of animals including rodents, ruminants, carnivores, and birds, as well as humans. Among samples from 526 pet dogs, 0.38% were serologically positive for Borrelia infection, which correlates with investigations performed in dogs in individual reports in other countries [ 15 , 16 ].Considering the vector's geographical distribution and abundance, it is easy to understand why the rate of positive samples reported here was significantly lower than the 4.5–11% and 1.4–11.6% infection rates reported in dogs in the UK and USA, respectively [ 17 , 18 ]. Lyme disease was first reported in China in 1985 with a seropositivity rate of 1.06∼12.8% in the 30 000 people randomly sampled [ 19 ].…”

Seroprevalence of vector-borne pathogens and molecular detection of Borrelia afzelii in military dogs from Portugal

“…In a serological study to assess the exposure of MWD to tick-borne pathogens in South Korea, seroprevalence for Anaplasma and Ehrlichia were 4.4 % and 0.6 % based on ELISA, and 24.7 % and 22.5 % based on IFAT, respectively, and 1.1 % for B. burgdorferi ( s.l. ) based only on ELISA [ 23 ]. In Spain (Madrid), out of 131 dogs from the National Police Department, 2.3 % had antibodies to E. canis [ 24 ].…”

Anaplasma phagocytophilum—a widespread multi-host pathogen with highly adaptive strategies

“…Without any clinical signs, the prevalence in horses was less than 6.7% (Tables 6–8). Furthermore, several case reports and case series have been published on domestic animals in North America (e.g., Cockwill et al, 2009; Granick et al, 2009; Uehlinger et al, 2011), and serological studies have shown a wide evidence of dogs, cats, and horses being in contact with A. phagocytophilum in USA, Canada, and Asia (e.g., Magnarelli et al, 2001; Billeter et al, 2007; Bowman et al, 2009; Villeneuve et al, 2011; Bell et al, 2012; Ybañez et al, 2012). Additionally, serological and molecular evidence have been provided from North Africa (which also is an endemic area for I. ricinus ) that horses and dogs become infected with A. phagocytophilum (M'Ghirbi et al, 2009, 2012).…”