Description of dogs naturally infected with Hepatozoon canis in the Aegean region of Turkey

Authors : Serdar PAŞA, Funda KIRAL, Tülin KARAGENÇ, Abidin ATASOY, Kamil SEYREK

Pages : 289-295

View : 21 | Download : 10

Publication Date : 0000-00-00

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Clinical and laboratory findings recorded in 10 dogs naturally infected with Hepatozoon canis in the Aegean region of Turkey were reported. The diagnosis was made by finding H. canis gamonts within leucocytes in Giemsa-stained blood smears. H. canis parasitaemia level was calculated manually by counting 500 neutrophils in blood smears. Parasitaemia varied from 1% to 23% of the circulating neutrophils. Anorexia, fever, depression, weight loss, and lymphadenopathy are the main clinical signs in infected dogs. All dogs had microcytic normochromic anaemia; however, 7 of the dogs had neutrophilia, 1 had lymphopenia, 2 had monocytosis, 1 had eosinophilia, and 9 had thrombocytopenia. Abnormal serum biochemical values were hyperproteinaemia insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(7 of 10 dogs);, hypoalbuminaemia insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(9 of 10 dogs);, hyperglobulinaemia insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(7 of 10 dogs);, increased serum alkaline phosphatase activity insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(2 of 10 dogs);, and increased serum creatinine kinase activity insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(8 of 10 dogs);. Concurrent infections such as Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Anaplasma platys were detected with a polymerase chain reaction test and 8 dogs had 2 or 3 of these concurrent infections.
Keywords : Key words Hepatozoon canis, clinico pathological findings, Rhipicephalus sanguineus