Understanding the Epidemiology of Trypanosoma Evansi Infection in Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) from Urban Areas of Colombia

Abstract

Trypanosoma evansi is a protozoan parasite that is the causative agent of the animal disease known as "surra", which affects a wide variety of wild and domestic mammals including humans. This study aimed to evaluate the molecular point prevalence and clinic-epidemiological traits of T. evansi infection in dogs from municipalities of the Metropolitan Area of Bucaramanga (MAB), Santander, Colombia. From 2019 and 2020, a crosssectional study in four municipalities of MAB was carried out to evaluate the above features in 213 healthy dogs from these cities. Molecular analysis using the primer ESAG/6 and ESAG/7, showed a T. evansi frequency of 1.8% (CI 95% = 0.04-3.68%), while Woo test didn't detect positive animals. A high prevalence of infection was detected in Piedecuesta (10.53%) and Bucaramanga (1.65%), apparently negative animals were detected in Giron and Florida Blanca. Clinical characteristics revealed that all positive animals (4/4) showed low Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH) and (3/4) low Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), and one animal had a moderate fever with prolonged capillary refill time. The epidemiological characteristics showed that all animals received mixed food, (3/4) came from low socioeconomic areas, and (2/4) from neighborhoods without weekly garbage collection. In conclusion, molecular methods detected a considerable prevalence of animals chronically infected by T. evansi in MAB, with more frequency in neighborhoods of a low socio-economic level where animals have more risk of oral transmission. These results should be considered during urban control programs of surra in MAB.

Prevalence of Endo and Ectoparasitism of Sheep in Northern Kazakhstan

“…Diagnostic tests for helminthiasis, protozoal, and arachnoentomoses are one important stage in the preventive and health measures (Garedaghi et al, 2022;Jaimes-Dueñez et al, 2022;Ualiyeva et al, 2022). The effectiveness of animal recovery from parasitosis depends on the precise determination of the species of parasites.…”