الفهرس 
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Abstract
The present study screened house hold and kenneled dogs with its attached ticks for tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) by traditional and molecular techniques. Blood samples were collected from 208 dogs from sexes, different ages and breeds in Cairo and Giza governorates during period between March 2018 to February 2019. Additionally, 1386 ticks were collected from 144 infested dogs then, divided to 546 ticks were dissected for preparation of hemolymph, mid gut and salivary gland smears, 120 female ticks were kept in lab till egg laying for preparation of 360 egg smears and 720 engorged ticks were used for preparation of 144 tick pools for PCR. Results showed that, all ticks collected in the present study were identified as Rhipicephalus sanguineus. TBPs were detected microscopically in 35.58% (74/208) of examined blood samples including, Theileria equi in 25/208 (12.02%) dogs followed by Anaplasma and Ehrlichia in 23/208 (11.1%) finally, Babesia canis in 17/208 (8.2%). While Hepatozoon canis was not detected microscopically in blood smears. Co-infections were observed in 9/208 (4.33%). The total prevalence rates of infection with TBPs in ticks were 44.69%, 68.50% and 15.75% in hemolymph, mid gut and salivary gland respectively. Significant difference in total TBPs rate of infection between different seasons and age groups with P value < 0.05. While breed and sex have no significant effect on rate of infection. Ultrastructure of different TBPs stages were described in details within mid gut and salivary gland of R. sanguineus by TEM as, the early oocyst and sporocysts of H. canis, A. phagocytophilum colony , penetrating kinetes and sporozoites (Infective stages) of Theileria equi and Babesia canis. PCR amplified a monomorphic DNA fragment of 560 bp size in case of Babesia and Theileria spp, 670 bp in case of H. canis and 450 bp in case of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia spp. Overall molecular prevalence rate of TBPs was 51.61% and 36.8% of examined dog’s blood and ticks. Theileria spp. recorded the highest prevalence rate in (25.81% and 10.42%) dogs followed by, Anaplasma and Ehrlichia in (19.35% and 20.83%), then Babesia canis in (6.45% and 5.55%). While, H. canis recorded the lowest prevalence rate (0% and 2.8%) in examined blood and Tick respectively. Sequence analysis identified seven different species of TBPs, namely Theileria equi, B. canis vogeli, H. canis, E. canis, A. phagocytophilum, A. marginale and A. Platys. The identified TBPs were accessed on the GenBank under accession number: MT533853, MT533854, MT533857, MW237710, MW237711 and MT533884 for Theileria equi isolates, MW432533 for B. canis, MZ203845 for H. canis. While, Anaplasmataceae family accession numbers were MZ068099 and MZ203829 for A. platys and A. phagocytophilium respectively, MZ203830, MZ203832, MZ203831 and MZ203834 for A. marginale. MZ191504, MZ191505 and MW433608 for E. canis from dog’s blood and ticks (R. sanguineus).