Completing the Puzzle: A Cluster of Hunting Dogs with Tick-Borne Illness from a Fishing Community in Tobago, West Indies

• DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13020161
• Publication Date: 2024-02-12T08:50:27Z
• Authors: Roxanne A. Charles; Patricia Pow-Brown; Annika Gordon-Dillon; Lemar Blake; Soren Nicholls; Arianne Brown-Jordan; Joanne Caruth; Candice Sant; Indira Pargass; Asoke Basu; Emmanuel Albina; Christopher Oura; Karla Georges
• Keywords: Rhipicephalus sanguineus; Ehrlichia canis; Ehrlichiosis; Tick infestation; Hepatozoon; Tick-borne disease; Theileria

Eight hunting dogs were visited by a state veterinarian on the island of Tobago, Trinidad and West Indies, as owners reported anorexia paralysis in five their dogs. The observed combination clinical signs consistent with tick-borne illness, including fever, anorexia, anaemia, lethargy paralysis. Blood ticks collected from each dog submitted to diagnostic laboratory for analysis. Microscopic analysis revealed mixed infection intracytoplasmic organisms Babesia spp. (erythrocyte) Ehrlichia (monocyte), respectively, one dog, while complete blood count indicated regenerative anaemia (n = 1; 12.5%), non-regenerative 4; 50%), neutrophilia 3; 37.5%), lymphocytosis 2; 25%), thrombocytopaenia 37.5%) pancytopaenia 12.5%). DNA isolated eight samples 20 (16 Rhipicephalus sanguineus 4 Amblyomma ovale) subjected conventional PCR next-generation sequencing 16S rRNA 18S gene Anaplasma/Ehrlichia Babesia/Theileria/Hepatozoon, respectively. spp., closely related canis, was detected three (37.5%), Anaplasma marginale, two (25%), vogeli (12.5%) seven (35%) Hepatozoon canis tick (5%), These findings highlight need test both vector host presence pathogens when undertaking investigations. Further studies are also warranted elucidate susceptibility canids marginale.