Canine vector-borne disease pathogens in dogs from south-east Queensland and north-east Northern Territory

Objectives To determine the prevalence of canine vector-borne diseases (CVBD: Babesia spp., Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., haemotropic mycoplasmas and Hepatozoon) in Australian dogs; namely, dogs from pounds in south-east Queensland and an indigenous Aboriginal community in the north-east of the Northern Territory. Design and procedure Blood samples were collected from 100 pound dogs and 130 Aboriginal community dogs and screened for the CVBD pathogens using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All positive PCR products were sequenced for species confirmation. Results In total, 3 pound dogs and 64 Aboriginal community dogs were infected with at least one CVBD pathogen. Overall, B. vogeli was detected in 13 dogs, A. platys in 49, M. haemocanis in 23, CandidatusMycoplasma haematoparvum in 3 and C. M. haemobos in 1 dog. Co-infections were detected in 22 Aboriginal community dogs. Conclusions This study found B. vogeli, A. platys and haemotropic mycoplasma infections to be common in dogs in subtropical and tropical areas of Australia. This study also reports for the first time the prevalence and genetic characterisation of haemotropic mycoplasmas in dogs in Australia.