Next Article in Journal
Molecular Survey of Toxoplasma gondii in Wild Mammals of Southern Italy
Previous Article in Journal
An Updated Review of Ornithodoros Ticks as Reservoirs of African Swine Fever in Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar
Previous Article in Special Issue
Ticks, Fleas, and Harboured Pathogens from Dogs and Cats in Cyprus
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Pathogens
Volume 12
Issue 3
10.3390/pathogens12030470
pathogens-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Seroexposure to Zoonotic Anaplasma and Borrelia in Dogs and Horses That Are in Contact with Vulnerable People in Italy

by
Donato Traversa
1,*,
Piermarino Milillo
2,
Raffaella Maggi
3,
Giulia Simonato
4,
Angela Di Cesare
1,
Carlo Pezzuto
5,
Marika Grillini
4,
Simone Morelli
1,
Mariasole Colombo
1,
Alessandra Passarelli
6,
Antonio Grassano
7,
Paola Serio
2,
Michele Losurdo
2 and
Roberto Brueckmann
8
1
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy
2
Azienda Sanitaria Locale (A.S.L.), 75100 Matera, Italy
3
Freelance Veterinary Practitioner, 00189 Rome, Italy
4
Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padua, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
5
Ambulatorio Veterinario Pezzuto Carlo/Piano Noemi, 86010 Campobasso, Italy
6
Clinica Veterinaria Città di Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy
7
Freelance Veterinary Practitioner, 75020 Nova Siri, Italy
8
EUROIMMUN Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG, 23560 Lübeck, Germany
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Pathogens 2023, 12(3), 470; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12030470
Submission received: 13 December 2022 / Revised: 11 March 2023 / Accepted: 14 March 2023 / Published: 16 March 2023
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropod- and Gastropod-Borne Diseases in a One Health Perspective)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Equine and canine anaplasmosis and borreliosis are major tick-borne zoonotic diseases caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum and various species of Borrelia (the most important being Borrelia burgdorferi s.l.), respectively. This study evaluated the seroexposure to Anaplasma and Borrelia in dogs and horses used in Animal-Assisted Interventions or living in contact with children, elderly people or immunocompromised persons. A total of 150 horses and 150 dogs living in Italy were equally divided into clinically healthy animals and animals with at least one clinical sign compatible with borreliosis and/or anaplasmosis (present at clinical examination or reported in the medical history). Serum samples were tested with ELISA and immunoblot for the presence of antibodies against A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi s.l., and the association between seropositivity and possible risk factors was analyzed using multivariate and univariate tests. Overall, 13 dogs (8.7%) and 19 horses (12.7%) were positive for at least one of the two pathogens. In addition, 1 dog (0.7%) and 12 horses (8%) were positive for antibodies against A. phagocytophilum, while 12 dogs (8.0%) and 10 horses (6.7%) had antibodies against B. burgdorferi s.l. Tick infestation in the medical history of the dogs was significantly associated with seropositivity to at least one pathogen (p = 0.027; OR 7.398). These results indicate that, in Italy, ticks infected with A. phagocytophilum and/or B. burgdorferi circulate in places where horses and dogs are in contact with people at risk of developing severe diseases. Awareness should be increased, and adequate control plans need to be developed to protect human and animal health, especially where vulnerable, at-risk individuals are concerned.
Keywords: Anaplasmosis; borreliosis; zoonosis; vulnerable people Anaplasmosis; borreliosis; zoonosis; vulnerable people

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Traversa, D.; Milillo, P.; Maggi, R.; Simonato, G.; Di Cesare, A.; Pezzuto, C.; Grillini, M.; Morelli, S.; Colombo, M.; Passarelli, A.; et al. Seroexposure to Zoonotic Anaplasma and Borrelia in Dogs and Horses That Are in Contact with Vulnerable People in Italy. Pathogens 2023, 12, 470. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12030470

AMA Style

Traversa D, Milillo P, Maggi R, Simonato G, Di Cesare A, Pezzuto C, Grillini M, Morelli S, Colombo M, Passarelli A, et al. Seroexposure to Zoonotic Anaplasma and Borrelia in Dogs and Horses That Are in Contact with Vulnerable People in Italy. Pathogens. 2023; 12(3):470. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12030470

Chicago/Turabian Style

Traversa, Donato, Piermarino Milillo, Raffaella Maggi, Giulia Simonato, Angela Di Cesare, Carlo Pezzuto, Marika Grillini, Simone Morelli, Mariasole Colombo, Alessandra Passarelli, and et al. 2023. "Seroexposure to Zoonotic Anaplasma and Borrelia in Dogs and Horses That Are in Contact with Vulnerable People in Italy" Pathogens 12, no. 3: 470. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12030470

APA Style

Traversa, D., Milillo, P., Maggi, R., Simonato, G., Di Cesare, A., Pezzuto, C., Grillini, M., Morelli, S., Colombo, M., Passarelli, A., Grassano, A., Serio, P., Losurdo, M., & Brueckmann, R. (2023). Seroexposure to Zoonotic Anaplasma and Borrelia in Dogs and Horses That Are in Contact with Vulnerable People in Italy. Pathogens, 12(3), 470. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12030470

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop