Publikationsdatenbank

Incidence and distribution of Babesia spp. in dogs in Germany (2021)

Art

Vortrag

Autoren

Schäfer, Ingo

Marsboom, Cedric

Hendrickx, Guy

Kohn, Barbara (WE 20)

Müller, Elisabeth

Kongress

29th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Parasitology

digital, 15. – 17.03.2021

Quelle

Sprache

Englisch

Verweise

URL (Volltext): https://programm.conventus.de/index.php?id=dgp2021&tx_coprogramm_programm%5Baction%5D=index&tx_coprogramm_programm%5Bcontroller%5D=Search&cHash=78d3ab876b3e7fb1f4bb50cd9cfe44c5

Kontakt

Klein- und Heimtierklinik

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

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

Background:
Babesia (B.) spp. are haemoprotozoal vector-borne infectious agents transmitted by hard ticks. The distribution of Babesia spp. in Europe is linked to the occurrence of the different vectors. For example, autochthonous infections with B. canis transmitted by Dermacentor (D.) reticulatus were published in Germany.

Material and Methods:
In this retrospective study, the database of a German laboratory was screened for Babesia spp.-PCR tests in dogs between 01/2007 and 12/2019. Questionnaires were sent out to the German veterinarians involved asking for possible stays abroad, ectoparasitic prophylaxis and tick infestations. To fill gaps in the Babesia spp. distribution map a machine learning distribution model was developed.

Results:
PCR-results of 18077 dogs requested by 2853 German veterinarians were available. 557/18077 dogs (3.1%) were positive for Babesia spp. Highest incidences were detected in dogs from Saarland, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Saxony-Anhalt, in the months April and October and the years 2010, 2013 and 2015. Data of 1554/18077 dogs (8.6%) was available concerning possible stays abroad. 52 out of these 1554 dogs (3.3%) were tested positive by Babesia spp. PCR. 14/52 positive tested dogs (27%) had no stays abroad from Germany reported by the veterinarians.

Conclusions:
Infections with Babesia spp. occur throughout the year with highest incidence in the months with highest activity of D. reticulatus in Germany, mainly in the southern federal states. While travel and import are most often stated as possible source of infection in Germany, autochthonous infections with B. canis might be responsible for a considerable number of infected dogs.