Evaluation of PCR Assay Using Specific Primers in Diagnosis of Canine Ehrlichiosis and Babesiosis:A Study on Herd and Stray Dogs in Shiraz

Canine tick-borne diseases are regarded as emerging problems within Iran and throughout the world. The present article aims at investigating Ehrlichia canis and Babesia canis infections in herd and stray dogs in Iran. The present study is therefore an attempt to compare PCR assay with specific primers in order to detect the organisms at the species level. This study is based on PCR amplification of the ۱۶S rRNA, ۱۸S rRNA and p۲۸ genes. Concerning Babesia canis, species-specific primers BAB۳ and BAB۱ are compared with genus-specific primers B-GA۱B and ۱۶S۸FE. Moreover, for Ehrlichia canis, species-specific primers ECp۲۸-F and ECp۲۸-R are compared with genus-specific primers RLB - F۲ and RLB - R۲. For the purpose of this study, ۲۸۰ herd and stray dogs from seven different regions in south of Iran were monitored. As the results revealed, molecular surveillance of tick-borne diseases was based on PCR amplification of the ۱۶S rRNA, ۱۸S rRNA and p۲۸ genes. For Ehrlichia canis, PCR was positive with genus-specific primers (B-GA۱B and ۱۶S۸FE ) and species-specific primers (ECp۲۸-F and ECp۲۸-R),۱.۴% (۴ of ۲۸۰) of blood samples. For Babesia canis, PCR was positive with genus-specific primers (RLB - F۲ and RLB - R۲), ۱% (۳ of ۲۸۰) and species-specific primers for Babesia canis (BAB۱ and BAB۳) ۰.۴% (۱ of ۲۸۰) of blood samples, respectively. Sequencing results showed that one herd dog was infected with Babesia canis, four herd dogs were infected with Ehrlichia canis, and one herd dog showed co-infection with Ehrlichia canis and Babesia canis. This has been the first report of the co-infections of both Ehrlichia canis and Babesia canis in naturally infected dogs in South of Iran.

کلیدواژه ها:

Ehrlichia canis ، Babesia canis ، Shiraz ، Iran ، ارلیشیا کنیس ، بابزیا کنیس ، شیراز ، ایران