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Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases in Dogs and Cats

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A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Companion Animals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2024 | Viewed by 6579

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Antonio Ortega-Pacheco

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Guest Editor

Department of Animal Health and Preventive Medicine, Autonomous University of Yucatan, Merida 97000, Mexico
Interests: veterinary medicine; epidemiology; zoonoses; dogs
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Matilde Jimenez-Coello

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Guest Editor

Department of Animal Health and Preventive Medicine, Autonomous University of Yucatan, Merida 97000, Mexico
Interests: veterinary epidemiology; antimicrobial resistance; zoonoses
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Vector-borne and zoonotic diseases in dogs and cats are widely distributed throughout the world; however, their epidemiology and etiology varies depending on the specific climatic conditions and the presence and abundance of vectorial agents. Climatic and ecological changes and globalization are now affecting the distribution and patterns of transmission vectors and, as a consequence, have introduced etiological agents that can potentially affect dogs, cats, and their owners. On the other hand, the pattern of the classical clinical signs of the diseases are changing and thus the diagnosis may be challenging.

This Special Issue is focused on vector-borne agents and diseases affecting dogs and cats with potential zoonosis and is aimed to disseminate knowledge on the current status of vector-borne diseases all around the world. For the effective control and prevention of these diseases, thorough knowledge of the infectious agents, their vectors, and major hosts is required in every ecological region at national and regional levels.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

Emerging vector-borne diseases in dogs and cats.
Epidemiology of vector-borne diseases in dogs and cats.
Transmission patterns of vector-borne diseases in dogs and cats.
Impact of current vector-borne diseases on health.
Diagnosis of major of vector-borne diseases in dogs and cats.
New patterns of clinical signs of vector-borne diseases in dogs and cats.

Dr. Antonio Ortega-Pacheco
Dr. Matilde Jimenez-Coello
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

vector-borne diseases
climate change
epidemiology
transmission
diagnosis

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 1032 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improved Antibody Detection for Canine Leptospirosis: ELISAs Modified Using Local Leptospiral Serovar Isolates from Asymptomatic Dogs

by Pannawich Boonciew, Watcharee Saisongkorh, Suppalak Brameld, Matsaya Thongpin, Alongkorn Kurilung, Pratomporn Krangvichian, Waree Niyomtham, Kanitha Patarakul, Thanmaporn Phichitraslip, David J. Hampson and Nuvee Prapasarakul

Animals 2024, 14(6), 893; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani14060893 - 14 Mar 2024

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Abstract

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of significant concern for human and animal health, with domestic animals, including dogs, acting as reservoirs for human infection. Serology is widely used for leptospirosis diagnosis, even though the standard microscopic agglutination test (MAT) using a panel of serovars lacks specificity and can lead to detection limitations in certain regions. In this study, we aimed to develop an antibody detection tool for dogs using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with a set of local serovar isolates, including Paidjan, Dadas, and Mini, to enhance the accuracy of leptospirosis surveillance in our region. The specificity and sensitivity of various antigen preparations, namely leptospiral whole-cell protein (WCP), total membrane protein (TMP), and outer membrane protein (OMP), were assessed using sera from infected and non-infected dogs, as well as negative puppy sera. Leptospirosis diagnosis was supported using a genus-specific nested polymerase chain reaction test on all collected sera. Protein preparations were validated using SDS-PAGE and Western blotting analysis. In the results, the standard MAT failed to detect antibodies in any of the dogs confirmed as being infected using PCR and isolation, highlighting its limitations. In contrast, the OMP-based ELISAs using local isolates of Leptospira serovars gave positive results with sera from all infected dogs, and negative results with sera from all dogs from non-endemic areas. IgG titres of infected and unvaccinated dogs from endemically affected areas were significantly higher than those in non-endemic regions. Using the OMP-based IgG/ELISAs with the local serovar Dadas resulted in higher specificity and lower sensitivity than when using the WCP- and TMP-based IgG/ELISAs. Agreement analysis revealed fair and moderate concordance between OMP-based IgG/ELISAs and PCR results, whereas slight and fair agreement was observed between OMP-based ELISAs and the MAT. Overall, the modified OMP-based IgG/ELISAs, utilising relevant local serovar isolates from dogs, demonstrated improved accuracy in detecting leptospirosis in the study area, overcoming the limitations of the MAT. This study highlights the importance of identifying and incorporating these local circulating serovar isolates into serological techniques for leptospirosis diagnosis and surveillance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases in Dogs and Cats)

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21 pages, 2874 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing Control of Leishmania infantum Infection: A Multi-Epitope Nanovaccine for Durable T-Cell Immunity

by Clara Hurtado-Morillas, Abel Martínez-Rodrigo, José A. Orden, Laura de Urbina-Fuentes, Alicia Mas and Gustavo Domínguez-Bernal

Animals 2024, 14(4), 605; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani14040605 - 13 Feb 2024

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Abstract

Canine leishmaniosis (CanL) is a growing health problem for which vaccination is a crucial tool for the control of disease. The successful development of an effective vaccine against this disease relies on eliciting a robust and enduring T-cell immune response involving the activation of CD4⁺ Th1 and CD8⁺ T-cells. This study aimed to evaluate the immunogenicity and prophylactic efficacy of a novel nanovaccine comprising a multi-epitope peptide, known as HisDTC, encapsulated in PLGA nanoparticles against Leishmania infantum infection in the murine model. The encapsulation strategy was designed to enhance antigen loading and sustain release, ensuring prolonged exposure to the immune system. Our results showed that mice immunized with PLGA-encapsulated HisDTC exhibited a significant reduction in the parasite load in the liver and spleen over both short and long-term duration. This reduction was associated with a cellular immune profile marked by elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IFN-γ, and the generation of memory T cells. In conclusion, the current study establishes that PLGA-encapsulated HisDTC can promote effective and long-lasting T-cell responses against L. infantum in the murine model. These findings underscore the potential utility of multi-epitope vaccines, in conjunction with appropriate delivery systems, as an alternative strategy for CanL control. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases in Dogs and Cats)

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12 pages, 1663 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Epidemiological Assessment of Cryptosporidium and Giardia spp. Infection in Pet Animals from Taiwan

by Chia-Hui Hsu, Chi Liang, Shi-Chien Chi, Kuan-Ju Lee, Chung-Hsi Chou, Chen-Si Lin and Wen-Yuan Yang

Animals 2023, 13(21), 3373; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13213373 - 31 Oct 2023

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Abstract

Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis are enteric protozoan pathogens in humans. and animals. Companion animals infected with zoonotic species/assemblages are a matter of major public concern around the world. The objectives of the present study were to determine the prevalences of Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis infections and their co-infection statuses in dogs and cats living in Taiwan and to identify the species and assemblages. Fecal samples were collected from local animal shelters (n = 285) and a veterinary hospital (n = 108). Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed using the SSU-rRNA, β-giardin, and glutamate dehydrogenase genes for Cryptosporidium spp. and G. duodenalis, respectively. Results showed that the overall prevalences of Cryptosporidium and G. duodenalis were 7.38% (29/393) and 10.69% (42/393). In addition, co-infection was detected in 1.02% (4/393) of all samples. Sample source, clinical sign, and breed may be risk factors that influence the infection rate. In Cryptosporidium-positive samples, C. canis and C. felis were detected most frequently. Although the canine-specific assemblages C and D (37/42) were dominant, the zoonotic human-specific assemblage A (1/42) was also found in Giardia-positive samples. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that most positive samples belonged to host-specific subtypes/assemblages, while some Cryptosporidium or Giardia-positive samples could be zoonotic. The findings suggested that pet animals could be a cause of zoonotic transmission, causing human cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis in Taiwan. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases in Dogs and Cats)

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12 pages, 2255 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Intron Regions as Genetic Markers for Population Genetic Investigations of Opisthorchis viverrini sensu lato and Clonorchis sinensis

by Chairat Tantrawatpan, Wanchai Maleewong, Tongjit Thanchomnang, Warayutt Pilap, Takeshi Agatsuma, Ross H. Andrews, Paiboon Sithithaworn and Weerachai Saijuntha

Animals 2023, 13(20), 3200; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani13203200 - 13 Oct 2023

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Abstract

Opisthorchiasis and clonorchiasis are prevalent in Southeast and Far-East Asia, which are caused by the group 1 carcinogenic liver flukes Opisthorchis viverrini sensu lato and Clonorchis sinensis infection. There have been comprehensive investigations of systematics and genetic variation of these liver flukes. Previous studies have shown that O. viverrini is a species complex, called “O. viverrini sensu lato”. More comprehensive investigations of molecular systematics and population genetics of each of the species that make up the species complex are required. Thus, other polymorphic genetic markers need to be developed. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the intron regions of taurocyamine kinase gene (TK) to examine the genetic variation and population genetics of O. viverrini and C. sinensis collected from different geographical isolates and from a range of animal hosts. We screened seven intron regions embedded in TK. Of these, we selected an intron 5 of domain 1 (TkD1Int5) region to investigate the genetic variation and population genetics of theses liver flukes. The high nucleotide and haplotype diversity of TkD1Int5 was detected in O. viverrine. Heterozygosity with several insertion/deletion (indel) regions were detected in TkD1Int5 of the O. viverrine samples, whereas only an indel nucleotide was detected in one C. sinensis sample. Several O. viverrine samples contained three different haplotypes within a particular heterozygous sample. There were no genetic differences between C. sinensis isolated from various animal host. Heterozygous patterns specifically detected in humans was observed in C. sinensis. Thus, TkD1Int5 is a high polymorphic genetic marker, which could be an alternative marker for further population genetic investigations of these carcinogenic liver flukes and other related species from a wide geographical distribution and variety of animal hosts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases in Dogs and Cats)

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37 pages, 5217 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Toxocara cati Infection in Cats (Felis catus): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

by Jorge Luis Bonilla-Aldana, Alba Cristina Espinosa-Nuñez, D. Katterine Bonilla-Aldana and Alfonso J. Rodriguez-Morales

Animals 2024, 14(7), 1022; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ani14071022 - 27 Mar 2024

Viewed by 2464

Abstract

Introduction: Toxocariasis is an infection caused in canines, felines, humans, and other vertebrates by species of the genus Toxocara, such as T. canis and T. cati. The embryonated eggs of these parasites are the primary means of acquiring the infection for both definitive hosts, dogs and cats, respectively, and for intermediates, such as humans and other vertebrates. When deposited on park soils, environmental contamination becomes a risk to environmental, human, and animal health. Objective: To determine the global prevalence of Toxocara cati in cats (Felis catus). Methods: A systematic review of the literature was carried out in six databases (Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, SciELO and Google Scholar) to evaluate the global prevalence of Toxocara cati in cats, defined by coproparasitological, histological, and molecular techniques. A meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model to calculate pooled prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). A two-tailed 5% alpha level was used for hypothesis testing. Results: Two hundred and eighty-nine studies were included. The global pooled prevalence of Toxocara cati in cats using coproparasitological methods was 17.0% (95.0% CI: 16.2–17.8%). In the subgroup analysis according to country, Nepal had the highest prevalence of T. cati infection (94.4%; 95% CI 89.7–99.2%). The pooled prevalence of T. cati infection by PCR in four studies was 4.9% (95.0% CI: 1.9–7.9%). Conclusions: This systematic review underscores the need for preventive action against toxocariasis due to its widespread prevalence. The interplay between animal and human health should be emphasised, necessitating measures like deworming cats, hygiene practices, and public education to mitigate risks. Safeguarding feline health can also reduce human transmission, benefiting both species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases in Dogs and Cats)

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