Posted by Vector and Vector-borne Disease Committee
May 19, 2022
Trypanosoma cruzi and Other Vector-Borne Infections in Shelter Dogs in Two Counties of Oklahoma, United States.
Kelly E. Allen and Megan W. Lineberry
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA.
VECTOR-BORNE AND ZOONOTIC DISEASES, Volume 22 (5), 2022. DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2021.0078
Abstract [condensed]
Trypanosoma cruzi is an emerging zoonotic vector-borne parasite infecting dogs and other mammals in the United States. In this study we evaluated shelter dogs in one northeastern and one southeastern county in Oklahoma for prevalence of exposure and infection with T. cruzi using the Chagas STAT PAKassay and PCR, respectively. Overall, 26 of 197 (13.2%) shelter dogs had detectable antibodies against T. cruzi and 3 of 189 (1.6%) dogs were PCR positive. In addition, the dogs were tested for evidence of infection with other vector-borne organisms using the SNAP 4Dx Plus Test and PCR and 42 (21.3%) had evidence of exposure to or were infected with at least one other vector-borne agent including Anaplasma phagocytophilum,Anaplasma platys, Babesia sp. (Coco), Dirofilaria immitis, Ehrlichia canis, Ehrlichia chaffeensis,Ehrlichia ewingii, and Hepatozoon americanum. This study serves to boost state-wide veterinary and public health awareness vector-borne pathogens infecting shelter dogs in Oklahoma.
Note: This study shows the importance of a One Health approach in detecting the presence of zoonotic pathogens by testing companion animals. As pointed out in the recent MVCAC annual meeting, T. cruzi and vectors are found in California as well as some of the other tick-borne pathogens detected in this study.