Prevalence of Rickettsia rickettsii infection in dogs from the urban and rural areas of western Turkey

Abstract

In this study, rickettsial infections in dogs living in rural and urban areas were evaluated in the Western Turkey. Dog sera has been tested indirect immunofluorescence test (IFA) by containing Rickettsia rickettsii antigen. Dog blood sera samples were obtained from 250 dogs (50 dogs from urban area and 200 dogs from rural area) covering the two-year period between March 2009 - March 2011. For each sera, the antigen reactive with Rickettsia rickettsii constitute the end point titers were determined. A total of 250 dogs sera samples were tested. Dog sera samples were found 54.0% (135/250) seropositive and 43.2% (108/250) were found seronegative for the Rickettsia rickettsii. However, of the 2.8% (7/250 dog sera samples were found to be suspicious for the Rickettsia rickettsii at ≥ 1:64 - 1:256 < titer. In this study, 7 (14.0%) dogs in urban areas were found to be seropositive and 128 (64.0%) dogs in rural areas were found to be seropositive in the ≥ 1:256 titer with the IFA test. In conclusion, titers of antibodies against Rickettsia rickettsii obtained from rural and urban dogs in Western Turkey appeared to be remarkable and more research needs to be done on this subject reveals

Keywords

• Dog
• IFA
• Ricketsia rickettsii

Batı Türkiye’de kırsal ve kentsel alanlarında yaşayan köpeklerde Rickettsia rickettsii infeksiyonununprevalansı

Abstract

Bu çalışmada, Türkiye’nin Batı Ege Bölgesi kırsal ve kentsel alanlarında yaşayan köpekler arasında riketsiya infeksiyonu değerlendirildi. Köpek serumlarına Rickettsia rickettsii antijeni içeren indirekt immunfloresan testi (IFA) uygulandı. Köpek kan serum örnekleri, Mart 2009- Mart 2011 dönemini kapsayan 2 yıllık periyotta 250 köpekten (50 köpek kırsal alandan ve kentsel alandan 200 köpek) elde edildi. Herbir serum için, Rickettsia rickettsii antijen ile reaksiyon oluşturan bitiş noktası titreleri belirlendi. Toplamda 250 köpek serum örneği test edildi. Köpek serum örneklerinin % 54.0 (135/250)’ü Rickettsia rickettsii için seropozitif ve % 43.2 (108/250)’si Rickettsia rickettsii için seronegatif bulundu. Bununla beraber, titresi ≥ 1:64 - < 1:256 arasında olan köpek serum örneklerinin % 2.8 (7/250)’i Rickettsia rickettsii için şüpheli bulundu. Bu çalışmada, IFA testi ile kentsel alandaki köpeklerden 7 (% 14.0)’si ≥ 1:256 titrede seropozitif ve kırsal alandaki köpeklerden 128 (% 64.0)’ i ≥ 1:256 titrede seropozitif bulundu. Sonuç olarak, bu çalışma Türkiye’nin Batı Ege Bölgesi kırsal ve kentsel alanlarında yaşayan köpeklerde Rickettsia rickettsii etkenine karşı oluşan antikor titrelerinin önemli düzeyde olduğunu göstermiş ve bu konu ile ilgili daha fazla araştırma yapılması gerekliliği kanısına varılmıştır

Keywords

• IFA
• köpek
• Ricketsia rickettsii

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