Detection of Hepatozoon canis in the Brown Dog Tick and Domestic Dogs in Peninsular Malaysia

J Med Entomol. 2018 Aug 29;55(5):1346-1348. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjy081.

Abstract

Hepatozoon canis has been widely reported in dogs. Its prevalence in ticks, however, has not been well-established. Here we determine the occurrence of Hepatozoon DNA in the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) (Acari: Ixodidae) sensu lato (s.l.) and domestic dogs from Peninsular Malaysia using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay based on amplification of the 18S ribosomal RNA coding sequence. Our results revealed a relatively low prevalence of H. canis DNA in both R. sanguineus s.l. (0.7%) and dogs (3.33%). This study represents the first report of H. canis DNA in R. sanguineus s.l. in Malaysia, highlighting the risk of this infection in dogs.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apicomplexa / genetics
  • Apicomplexa / isolation & purification*
  • DNA, Protozoan / analysis*
  • Dogs / blood
  • Dogs / parasitology*
  • Female
  • Malaysia
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / genetics
  • Rhipicephalus sanguineus / chemistry
  • Rhipicephalus sanguineus / parasitology*

Substances

  • DNA, Protozoan
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 18S