Journal of Bacteriology & Parasitology

Incidental finding of Hepatozoon canis infection in two dogs of the same household in Trinidad

5^th International Conference on PARASITOLOGY & MICROBIOLOGY

July 12-13, 2018 Paris, France

Candice Sant, Karla C Georges and Patricia Pow-Brown

University of the West Indies, Trinidad, West Indies

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Bacteriol Parasitol

Abstract:

Hepatozoon canis is one of the two Hepatozoon spp. that can infect dogs. It can be transmitted transplacentally or by ingestion of whole or parts of the definitive host Rhipicephalus sanguineus that contains mature H. canis oocyts. A five-year old mixed breed bitch was presented to a veterinary clinic for evaluation following a dog fight. Examination of the blood smear of this bitch revealed Hepatozoon spp. gamonts present in the neutrophils and monocytes ranging from 26.31 to 29.33 μm in length and 11.56 to 12.65 μm in width which were larger than the dimension reported for H. canis and H. americanum in other studies. The level of parasitaemia was approximately 2%. Clinical signs of anorexia, fever, recumbency and muscle hyperaesthesia were observed with this bitch. A neutrophilia and a normocytic normochromic non-regenerative anaemia were obtained on complete blood count (CBC) which was consistent with Hepatozoon infections. Diagnosis was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the 18S rRNA followed by DNA sequencing of the amplicon. Although, the other dog in the household appeared asymptomatic, Hepatozoon canis infection was confirmed by both microscopic examination of blood smears and PCR analysis. Anaplasma / Ehrlichia DNA were not amplified. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the H. canis sequences from these two dogs were similar to those from Venezuela and St Kitts but not Brazil. This is the first reported case of Hepatozoon canis infections in dogs in Trinidad that was confirmed by molecular techniques.