Occurrence of Dirofilaria immitis and Tick-Borne Infections Caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Ehrlichia canis in Domestic Dogs in France: Results of a Countrywide Serologic Survey

• Published in: Parasitology research (1987) 2009-08, Vol.105 (1), p.101-114
• Main Authors: Pantchev, Nikola, Schaper, Roland, Limousin, Sandy, Norden, Nina, Weise, Miriam, Lorentzen, Leif
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anaplasma phagocytophilum; Anaplasma phagocytophilum - isolation & purification; Animals; Antibodies; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Antigens; Antigens, Helminth - blood; Arachnids; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Borrelia burgdorferi; Borrelia burgdorferi Group - isolation & purification; Coronary artery disease; Dirofilaria immitis; Dirofilaria immitis - isolation & purification; Dirofilariasis - epidemiology; Dog Diseases - epidemiology; Dog Diseases - microbiology; Dog Diseases - parasitology; Dogs; Ehrlichia canis; Ehrlichia canis - isolation & purification; Ehrlichiosis - epidemiology; Ehrlichiosis - veterinary; France - epidemiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; General aspects and techniques. Study of several systematic groups. Models; Geography; Heart diseases; Immunology; Invertebrates; Lyme Disease - epidemiology; Lyme Disease - veterinary; Medical Microbiology; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; Microbiology; Pathogens; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Serology; Tick-Borne Diseases - epidemiology; Tick-Borne Diseases - veterinary; Vectors. Intermediate hosts
• ISSN: 0932-0113; 1432-1955
• DOI: 10.1007/s00436-009-1501-2

The occurrence of Dirofilaria immitis antigen and antibodies against tick-borne pathogens in French dogs has been analysed based on 1,050 blood samples. Serum samples of 919 dogs (group A) were sent for a variety of diagnostic investigations, further 131 dogs (group B) were tested for a tentative diagnosis of heartworm disease. All samples were tested for D. immitis antigen. Samples in group A were also tested for specific antibodies against three tick-borne pathogens (Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Ehrlichia canis). Results were plotted in geographical maps. Occurrence of D. immitis antigen in group A (0.22 %; 95 % CI: 0.03-0.78 %) was significantly lower (p < 0.0001) than in group B (6.87 %; 95 % CI: 3.19-12.64 %). Heartworm infections in both groups were regionally restricted to the areas of Bouches-du-Rhône in the South of France and Corsica. In group A, the calculated seroprevalence was 2.72 % (95 % CI: 1.77-3.99 %) for A. phagocytophilum, 1.09 % (95 % CI: 0.52-1.99 %) for B. burgdorferi and 0.33 % (95 % CI: 0.07-0.95 %) for E. canis with a distribution of the positive cases throughout the country. This study represents the first data of A. phagocytophilum seroprevalence in the French dog population.