Table 1.
Characteristics of the study dog groups and PCR/sequencing results for the VBPs tested. All dogs tested negative on quantitative PCR for Babesia spp. and “Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum”. The species of A. platys and E. canis were identified following sequencing of PCR products derived from generic Ehrlichia/Anaplasma PCR testing
| Characteristic | No. of cases ClinL (%) (n = 50) | Control (%) (n = 92) |
|---|---|---|
| Age in years | ||
| Median | 3 | 4 |
| Interquartile range | 3.3 | 3.0 |
| Sex | ||
| Male | 24 (48) | 50 (54) |
| Female | 26 (52) | 42 (46) |
| Lifestyle | ||
| Outoors | 35 (70) | 68 (74) |
| Mainly indoors | 15 (30) | 24 (26) |
| Ectoparasitic prevention | ||
| Used | 17 (34) | 38 (41) |
| Not used | 33 (66) | 54 (69) |
| Breed | ||
| Pedigree | 35 (70) | 70 (76) |
| Crossbreed | 15 (30) | 22 (24) |
| A. platys | ||
| Positive | 2 (4) | 3 (3) |
| Negative | 48 (96) | 89 (97) |
| E. canis | ||
| Positive | 6 (12) | 1 (1) |
| Negative | 44 (88) | 91 (99) |
| Hepatozoon spp. | ||
| Positive | 24 (48) | 41 (45) |
| Negative | 26 (52) | 51 (55) |
| M. haemocanis | ||
| Positive | 14 (28) | 18 (20) |
| Negative | 36 (72) | 74 (80) |
Abbreviations: VBP, vector-borne pathogen; ClinL, clinical leishmaniosis; A. platys, Anaplasma platys; E. canis, Ehrlichia canis; M. haemocanis, Mycoplasma haemocanis