Domestic dogs as host of ectoparasites carrying Rickettsia, Bartonella and Mycoplasma in urban, peri-urban and rural areas from Center Argentina

ACOSTA, D. B.; ZANOCCO, F. A.; RUÍZ, M.; SANCHEZ, J. P.

MASTOZOOLOGí­A NEOTROPICAL

UNIDAD DE ZOOLOGÍA Y ECOLOGÍA ANIMAL, INSTITUTO ARGENTINO DE INVESTIGACIÓN DE LAS ZONAS ARIDAS, CRICYT, CONICET

Lugar: Mendoza; Año: 2023

0327-9383

Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) plays a vital role in transmitting zoonotic ectoparasites and vector-borne pathogens, often being an important source of pathogens in spill over and spill back processes between domestic and wild animals. The aim of this study was analyzing the diversity and prevalence of ectoparasites and their associated bacteria, Rickettsia, Bartonella and Mycoplasma, in dogs from urban, peri-urban and rural environments, from central Argentina. A total of 180 dogs were examined, and 308 ectoparasites were collected. Diversity and prevalence (P) for environment were: Urban (Ptotal=78%) [Ctenocephalides felis felis (P=78.1%); Rickettsia felis (P=25%); Bartonella sp. (P=8.3%); Mycoplasma suis (P=8.3%)]; Peri-urban (Ptotal=83%) [C. felis felis (P=80%); Rhipicephalus sanguineus s. l. (P=20%); R. felis (P=19.2%); Bartonella sp. (P=25%); M. suis (P=3.8%)]; Rural (Ptotal=50%) [Pulex irritans (P=45.4%); R. sanguineus s. l. (P=15.1%); R. felis (P=7.4%); M. suis (P=8.7%)]. These results present new insights into bacteria distribution across environments, emphasizing the role of dogs in their circulation. Pulex irritans, flea with the highest prevalence in foxes, exclusively found in the rural environment, supports the hypothesis that wild and domestic sympatric carnivores share ectoparasite species. The detection of M. suis for the first time in all analyzed ectoparasite species and environments raises questions regarding the potential reservoir role of dogs for this pathogen. Furthermore, it suggests that dogs infested with ectoparasites may be exposed to an unknown range of potentially invasive vector-borne pathogens. These findings reinforce the importance of parasitological and epidemiological studies in domestic mammals under the “One Health” paradigm.