Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb
Abstract
A total of 46 stray dogs in an impounding facility comprising 17 males and 29 females were diagnosed using the Babesia gibsoni P50 truncated antigen immunochromatographic test (P50t-ICT). Thirteen dogs (28.0%) were serologically positive. There was no cross-reactivity with serum samples from Babesia canis (= B. vogeli)-infected dogs and none of the ICT strips showed invalid results, which reinforce the sensitivity and specificity of the P50t antigen and the reliability and accuracy of the P50t-ICT. Thirty-seven (80.4%) dogs had mixed tick infestations principally of the genus Rhipicephalus and Boophilus. From 11 seropositive and 20 seronegative dogs a total of 80 Rhipicephalus ticks were pooled. Among the 33 seronegative dogs, 48.5% had infestation with Rhipicephalus sp. only, 12.1% with Boophilus sp. only, 12.1% with mixed Rhipicephalus sp. and Boophilus sp., and 19.6% were un-infested. This paper documents the first account of serological detection of B. gibsoni in stray dogs and their infestation mainly with Rhipicephalus sp. suggestive of their role as putative key vectors of B. gibsoni in Philippine stray dogs.Istraživanje je provedeno kako bi se imunokromatografskim testom (P50t-ICT) dokazala prisutnost protozoona Babesia gibsoni u pasa lutalica na Filipinima. Ukupno je bilo pretraženo 46 pasa, 17 mužjaka i 29 ženki, na prisutnost antigena p50 protozoona Babesia gibsoni. Trinaest pasa (28%) bilo je serološki pozitivno. Nije ustanovljen nijedan slučaj križne reaktivnosti s uzorcima seruma pasa prirodno invadiranima protozoonom Babesia canis (Babesia vogeli). Test se pokazao prikladnim, osjetljivim, specifičnim, pouzdanim i točnim. U 37 pasa (80,4%) dokazane su mješovite infestacije krpeljima rodova Rhipicephalus i Boophilus. Na 11 serološki pozitivnih i 20 serološki negativnih pasa pronađeno je ukupno 80 krpelja iz roda Rhipicephalus. Od 33 serološki negativna psa krpelji roda Rhipicephalus dokazani su u 48,5%, roda Boophilus u 12,1%, a jedna mješovita infestacija vrstama tih rodova dokazana je također u 12,1% pasa. U 27,3% pasa krpelji nisu dokazani. Ovaj rad prvi put prikazuje mogućnost serološkoga dokaza infekcije vrstom B. gibsoni u pasa lutalica i njihovu infestaciju pretežito krpeljima roda Rhipicephalus kao ključnih prijenosnika B. gibsoni u pasa lutalica na Filipinim
