Publikationsdatenbank

An outbreak of canine Babesiosis in Berlin/Brandenburg (2021)

Art

Vortrag

Autoren

Helm, Christina (WE 13)

Weingart, Christiane (WE 20)

Schäfer, Ingo (WE 20)

Pachnicke, Stefan

Müller, Elisabeth

von Samson-Himmelstjerna, Georg (WE 13)

Krücken, Jürgen (WE 13)

Kohn, Barbara (WE 20)

Kongress

28th International Conference of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology

online, 19. – 22.07.2021

Quelle

Verweise

URL (Volltext): https://virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/#/event/1723/submission/152

Kontakt

Klein- und Heimtierklinik

Oertzenweg 19 b
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 62422
kleintierklinik@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

Canine babesiosis is transmitted by ticks such as Dermacentor reticulatus. Although direct transmission via blood (including iatrogenic) and vertical transmission have been described, geographic distribution depends strongly on occurrence of the vector. In Germany, an adult D. reticulatus was first documented in 1973, and autochthonous occurrence was described only in 1976. Since then, various endemic populations of Babesia were found in Germany and several endemic herds are obviously spreading.

Between 04/2015 and 10/2020, a total of 15 autochthonous Babesia infected dogs from Berlin/Brandenburg were presented at the Small Animal Clinic (FU Berlin). The owners were questioned in detail about the travel history of the dog. Diagnosis was made by blood smears and 18S rRNA PCR and sequencing. Since Bc28.1 has previously been suggested as a good marker for genotyping B. canis, Bc28.1 sequences were also obtained.

Molecular data identified B. canis in all dogs. Bc28.1 data revealed 12 different genotypes, none of them identical with the three previously published genotypes. Phylogenetic network analysis identified two major clusters separated by the same six polymorphisms. Cluster 1 contained four genotypes (from eight dogs) and also Bc28.1A from GenBank while three genotypes (seven dogs) were located in cluster 2 together with BC28.1B and Bc28.1G from GenBank. Between sequences obtained here and Bc28.1A and Bc28.1G were at least four mutations whereas Bc28.1B was separated from them by at least two mutations. Remarkably, all four samples from 2015 had the same genotype that was again observed once in 2020.

Dermacentor reticulatus density in the Berlin/Brandenburg area is locally very high but in previous studies B. canis was not detected in questing ticks. However, further spread of B. canis in this population must be expected in the future. Indeed, since November, seven additional autochthonous cases were diagnosed suggesting an increase of cases over time.