Vet Parasitol. 2008 Oct 1;156(3-4):199-204. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2008.05.027. Epub 2008 May 25.

Babesia canis canis and Babesia canis vogeli infections in dogs from northern Portugal.
Cardoso L, Costa A, Tuna J, Vieira L, Eyal O, Yisaschar-Mekuzas Y, Baneth G.

Source
Department of Veterinary Sciences and CECAV, University of Trs-os-Montes e Alto Douro, P.O. Box 1013, 5001801 Vila Real, Portugal. lcardoso@utad.pt

Abstract
Canine babesiosis represents an important veterinary medical problem. This study describes the molecular characterization of babesial parasites detected in eight clinically suspected dogs from northern Portugal, affected by lethargy, muscle tremors, weight loss, pale mucous membranes, hyperthermia or red-coloured urine. Microscopic examination of peripheral blood smears showed large intraerythrocytic piroplasms morphologically compatible with Babesia canis in all eight animals. DNA was extracted from blood on filter paper, and a Babesia spp. infection confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of a 408bp fragment of the 18S rRNA gene. Analysis of PCR-derived sequences revealed that seven dogs were infected with B. canis canis and one with B. canis vogeli. This is the first molecular identification report of both the species B. canis and the subspecies B. canis canis and B. canis vogeli in dogs from Portugal.

Vet Parasitol. 2009 Dec 23;166(3-4):191-8. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.09.038. Epub 2009 Sep 26.

Babesia canis and other tick-borne infections in dogs in Central Poland.

Welc-Faleciak R, Rodo A, Siski E, Bajer A.

Source
Department of Parasitology, Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.

Abstract
Vector-borne infections constitute increasing health problem in dogs worldwide, including sled dogs, dramatically decreasing the fitness of working dogs and even leading to death. In the period 20062008 eighty-two blood samples were collected from eight sled dog kennels in Central Poland. The prevalence of four vector-borne infections (Babesia canis, Bartonella sp., Anaplasma/Ehrlichia and Borrelia burgdorferi) was estimated in 82 sled dogs using PCR and nested PCR for diagnosis and the same methods were used to identify the vector-borne pathogens in 26 dogs presenting at veterinary clinics with symptoms of vector-borne diseases. None of four studied vector-borne pathogens was detected in samples originating from veterinary clinics. Among the remaining 82 dogs B. canis infections were confirmed in three dogs undergoing treatment for babesiosis. The DNA of tick-borne pathogens was also found among 22 (27.8%) of the 79 apparently healthy dogs, including 20 cases of B. canis infection (25.3%), one case of B. burgdorferi s.l. infection and one case of Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection. No evidence of Bartonella spp. and Ehrlichia canis infections were found in this set of samples. Sequencing of a Babesia fragment of 18S rDNA amplified from acute (n=5) and asymptomatic (n=5) cases revealed that all isolates were identical to the Babesia canis canis sequence, originally isolated from Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in Poland.

A range of factors was shown to affect the distribution of babesiosis in sled dogs. The data are also discussed in respect to the health risk factors generated by asymptomatic B. canis infections and the efficiency of chemoprophylaxis measures taken by sled dog owners.

Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2012 Apr;3(2):107-13. doi: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2012.02.002. Epub 2012 Mar 29.

Strong monovalent electrolyte imbalances in serum of dogs infected with Babesia canis.
Zygner W , Gjska-Zygner O, Wdrychowicz H.

Source
Division of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences - SGGW, Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786 Warsaw, Poland. wojciechzygner@yahoo.pl

Abstract
Canine babesiosis is a systemic tick-borne protozoan disease caused by infection with parasites of the genus Babesia. Acid-base disorders and ion imbalances have been described in dogs infected with Babesia rossi in South Africa. In this paper, the authors describe changes to monovalent ion concentrations and calculated parameters of monovalent ions in 70 dogs naturally infected with B. canis, a species occurring in Europe. Hyponatraemia, hypokalaemia, hyperchloraemia, decrease of chloride gap, strong ion gap, difference between sodium and chloride concentrations, and an increase of chloride-to-sodium and sodium-to-potassium ratios were the most prevalent changes. Hyponatraemia, hypokalaemia and hyperchloraemia were detected less frequently than in dogs infected with B. rossi, but the severity of these changes were similar. Comparison of monovalent ion concentrations in azotaemic and non-azotaemic, and anaemic and non-anaemic dogs infected with B. canis showed that azotaemic dogs had significantly lower sodium concentrations. The results of this study indicate a possible development of hyperchloraemic acidosis and the probable contribution of aldosterone in the development of hypokalaemia. However, further study on blood gas, aldosterone, and antidiuretic hormone in dogs infected with B. canis is needed.

Vet Parasitol. 2008 Mar 25;152(1-2):16-20. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2007.12.013. Epub 2007 Dec 23.

Assessment of primers designed for the subspecies-specific discrimination among Babesia canis canis, Babesia canis vogeli and Babesia canis rossi by PCR assay.
Duarte SC, Linhares GF, Romanowsky TN, da Silveira Neto OJ, Borges LM.

Source
Veterinary School, Federal University of Gois, Brazil. sabrinacd@gmail.com

Abstract
Canine babesiosis is an infectious disease caused by either Babesia gibsoni or Babesia canis protozoans. The latter is also classified under three different phylogenetic groups, referred to as

subspecies B. canis canis, B. canis vogeli and B. canis rossi. The objective of the present study was to validate and standardize a PCR assay to discriminate the organisms at the subspecies level. First, the reference sequences of the 18S rRNA, 5.8S rRNA and 28S rRNA genes, including the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) and 2 (ITS2) of the most common species and subspecies of the genus Babesia were retrieved from the GenBank database. Subspecies-specific primers (BAB3, BAB4 and BAB5) and one genus-specific primer were designed from the alignment of the sequences. The PCR assays were evaluated in three different combinations of primer pairs in order to assure complete specificity for each reaction. The results of the tests had demonstrated effectiveness of the novel primer pairs BAB1/BAB3, BAB1/BAB4 and BAB1/BAB5 for the amplification of the subspecies-specific target fragments of 746 bp (B. c. canis), 546 bp (B. c. vogeli) and 342 bp (B. c. rossi) by PCR. The original enzymatic amplification assays with novel primers reported in this paper were confirmed to be a reliable tool for the specific discrimination among B. canis subspecies by single-step PCR assays.

Vet Parasitol. 2013 Feb 18;192(1-3):273-8. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.10.017. Epub 2012 Oct 26.

Prevention of transmission of Babesia canis by Dermacentor reticulatus ticks to dogs treated with an imidacloprid/flumethrin collar.
Fourie JJ, Stanneck D, Jongejan F.

Source
ClinVet International (Pty) Ltd., P.O. Box 11186, Universitas, Bloemfontein 9321, South Africa. Electronic address: Josephus.Fourie@clinvet.com.

Abstract
A group of 8 dogs was treated with an imidacloprid/flumethrin collar (Seresto()) 28 days prior to infestation with adult Dermacentor reticulatus ticks, infected with Babesia canis. The ability of the collar to prevent transmission of B. canis in the treated group was compared to an untreated control group. All 8 dogs in the untreated control group became infected with B. canis parasites, which were detected in blood smears as early as day 6 post tick-application. All control dogs developed clinical signs of babesiosis and were rescue-treated with imidocarb dipropionate. These dogs also developed specific B. canis antibodies as identified by serology (IFA test) and were confirmed PCR/RLB positive. None of the 8 dogs treated with the imidacloprid/flumethrin collar became infected with B. canis, which was confirmed by the absence of specific B. canis antibodies and babesial DNA as confirmed by PCR/RLB. The collar caused 96.02% of the ticks to die within 48h post challenge and this increased to 100% within 4 days. Although a high percentage of 44% of the Dermacentor ticks were infected with B. canis, they were unable to transmit the infection to the treated group. Hence, the imidacloprid/flumethrin collar effectively prevented transmission of B. canis 1 month after application onto the dogs. Copyright 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative Clinical Pathology June 2012, Volume 21, Issue 3, pp 375-377

Report of Theileria annulata and Babesia canis infections in dogs

Masih Bigdeli, Siamak Mashhady Rafie, Mohammad Mehdi Namavari, Shahram Jamshidi

Abstract
Piroplasmosis is a zoonotic protozoan disease transmitted by ticks. The full geographical range of canine piroplasms has been found in dogs in the Middle East, parts of Africa, North America, and Europe. Following our studies on molecular detection of piroplasmosis in the south of Iran, we foundTheileria annulata in two herd dogs, as well as information on their 18S rRNA gene sequences. Piroplasmosis agents were detected by PCR of 280 blood samples collected from dogs in seven regions of the Shiraz suburbia in southern Iran, between November 2009 and June 2011. Two positive samples from Shiraz were infected with T. annulata, and one sample was infected with Babesia canis. PCR positive samples were further analyzed by sequence analysis. The results of this study reconfirmed that T. annulata are not always as host specific as accepted. This is the first report of T.annulata in herd dogs in southern Iran and the second report of T. annulata in dogs worldwide.

Parasitol Res. 2012 Jul;111(1):301-7. doi: 10.1007/s00436-012-2839-4. Epub 2012 Mar 22.

Stray dogs of northern Jordan as reservoirs of ticks and tickborne hemopathogens.

Qablan MA, Kubelov M, Sirok P, Modr D, Amr ZS.

Source
Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackho 1-3, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic. moneeb_78@hotmail.com

Abstract
Dogs are competent reservoir hosts of several hemopathogens including zoonotic agents and can serve as readily available source of nutrition for many blood-feeding arthropods. Three hemopathogens had been detected for the first time in Jordan. The PCR prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Hepatozoon canis, and piroplasmid DNA were 39.5%, 28.9%, and 7.9% (n=38) respectively. Sequencing of amplicons of PCR with universal primers targeting the 18S rRNA gene of piroplasmids shows the highest similarity to equine piroplasmids species Theileria equi from two dogs and Babesia caballi from a single dog. Ticks of two genera Rhipicephalus and Haemaphysalis, were detected in this study (n=268). The brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus was the most abundant species (95.1%, n=255), followed by Haemaphysalis erinacei (3%, n=8) and Haemaphysalis parva (1.9%, n=5). The two Haemaphysalis species were detected for the first time from dogs in Jordan. Regarding its high prevalence, we expect R. sanguineus being a possible vector of detected pathogens.