الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
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 |