Prevalence of select vector-borne disease agents in owned dogs of Ghana

Authors

  • Lorelei L Clarke University of Georgia
  • Lora R Ballweber Colorado State University
  • Kelly Allen Oklahoma State University
  • Susan E Little Oklahoma State University
  • Michael R Lappin Colorado State University

Abstract

Ticks, sera and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) blood were collected from dogs evaluated at the Amakom Veterinary Clinic in Kumasi, Ghana. Sera were evaluated for Dirofilaria immitis antigen and antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma
phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia canis. Conventional polymerase chain reaction assays designed to amplify the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of Ehrlichia spp. or Anaplasma spp. or Neorickettsia spp. or Wolbachia spp., Babesia spp., Rickettsia spp., Hepatozoon spp., Bartonella spp. and the haemoplasmas were performed on DNA extracted from EDTA blood and all positive amplicons were sequenced. This small survey shows that the following vector-borne pathogens are present in urban Ghanian dogs: Ehrlichia canis, Hepatozoon canis, Dirofilaria immitis and Anaplasma platys. Bartonella henselae was isolated from ticks but not from the dogs.

Author Biographies

  • Lorelei L Clarke, University of Georgia

    Department of Pathology, University of Georgia, United States

  • Lora R Ballweber, Colorado State University

    Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Colorado State University, United States

  • Kelly Allen, Oklahoma State University

    Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Veterinary Pathobiology, Oklahoma State University, United States

  • Susan E Little, Oklahoma State University

    Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Veterinary Pathobiology, Oklahoma State University, United States

  • Michael R Lappin, Colorado State University

    Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, United States

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Published

2021-12-09

Issue

Section

Clinical Communication