Molecular investigation of dogs' tick-borne infections in Karaman province of Türkiye

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 36 Sayı: 2, 123 - 134, 13.01.2026

Ayşe Coşkun Mehmet Fatih Aydın

https://doi.org/10.35864/evmd.1572916

Öz

Tick-transmitted diseases in dogs are growing more significant in Türkiye and around the world. In areas with tropical and subtropical climates, Hepatozoon, Babesia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and hemotropic Mycoplasma species are among the pathogens that produce both clinical and subclinical illnesses. In this work, the prevalence of Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp., Mycoplasma haemocanis, Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum, Anaplasma platys, and Ehrlichia canis species in dogs in the southern part of Türkiye’s Central Anatolia Region was examined using molecular techniques. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequence analysis techniques were used to analyze the isolated DNAs in terms of the 16S rRNA gene of Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and hemotropic Mycoplasma species, as well as the 18S rRNA gene of Babesia and Hepatozoon species. Of the 140 extracted DNA samples, 32 (22.85%) Hepatozoon spp., 36 (25.71%) M. haemocanis, and 12 (8.57%) contained Ca. M. haematoparvum. Following 16 samples that tested positive for the Hepatozoan genus, it was found that all of them were Hepatozoon canis. Two of the samples were 100% comparable to the H. canis sequences found in GenBank, while the remaining samples were between 98.98% and 99.84% similar. Sequencing of two representative M. haemocanis and one Ca. M. haematoparvum sample revealed that the Ca. M. haematoparvum isolates were 99.19–99.60% similar to the Ca. M. haematoparvum isolates listed in GenBank, but the M. haemocanis samples were 100% identical to other M. haemocanis isolates. Dogs older than one year had considerably higher hemoplasma positivity, and both hemoplasma and Ca. M. haematoparvum positivity rose significantly with mean age (p<0.05). These findings offer the first comprehensive details regarding tick-borne illnesses in dogs in Türkiye's southern Central Anatolia Region.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Anaplasma , Babesia , Ehrlichia , Dog , Haemotropik Mycoplasma , Hepatozoon , Tick

Proje Numarası

09-YL-19

Türkiye’nin Karaman ilinde köpeklerde kene kaynaklı enfeksiyonların moleküler incelenmesi

Öz

Köpeklerde kene ile bulaşan hastalıklar Türkiye'de ve dünyada giderek daha önemli hale gelmektedir. Tropikal ve subtropikal iklime sahip bölgelerde, Hepatozoon, Babesia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia ve hemotropik Mycoplasma türleri hem klinik hem de subklinik hastalıklara neden olan patojenler arasındadır. Bu çalışmada, Türkiye'nin İç Anadolu Bölgesi'nin güney kesimindeki köpeklerde Hepatozoon spp., Babesia spp., Mycoplasma haemocanis, Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum, Anaplasma platys ve Ehrlichia canis türlerinin prevalansı moleküler teknikler kullanılarak incelenmiştir. İzole edilen DNA'ların Anaplasma, Ehrlichia ve hemotropik Mycoplasma türlerinin 16S rRNA geninin yanı sıra Babesia ve Hepatozoon türlerinin 18S rRNA geni açısından analiz edilmesi için polimeraz zincir reaksiyonu (PCR) ve DNA dizi analizi teknikleri kullanılmıştır. Ekstrakte edilen 140 DNA örneğinin 32'si (%22,85) Hepatozoon spp., 36'sı (%25,71) M. haemocanis ve 12'si (%8,57) Ca içermektedir. M. haematoparvum içermektedir. Hepatozoan cinsi için pozitif test edilen 16 örneğin ardından, bunların hepsinin Hepatozoon canis olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Örneklerden ikisi GenBank'ta bulunan H. canis dizileriyle %100, geri kalan örnekler %98,98 ile %99,84 arasında benzerlik göstermiştir. İki temsili M. haemocanis ve bir Ca. M. haematoparvum örneğinin dizilenmesi ile, Ca. M. haematoparvum izolatlarının %99,19-99,60 oranında GenBank'ta listelenen Ca. M. haematoparvum izolatları ile, M. haemocanis örneklerinin ise diğer M. haemocanis izolatları ile %100 aynı olduğu ortaya konmuştur. Bir yaşından büyük köpeklerde hemoplazma pozitifliği oldukça yüksekti ve hem hemoplazma hem de Ca. M. haematoparvum pozitifliği ortalama yaşla birlikte önemli ölçüde artmıştır (p<0.05). Bu bulgular, Türkiye'nin güney İç Anadolu Bölgesi'ndeki köpeklerde kene kaynaklı hastalıklara ilişkin ilk kapsamlı ayrıntıları sunmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Anaplasma , Babesia , Ehrlichia , Haemotropik Mycoplasma , Hepatozoon , Kene , Köpek

Etik Beyan

The study was approved by Selçuk University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Experimental Animal Production and Research Center Ethics Committee (SÜVDAMEK) with the decision dated 28.12.2018 and numbered 2018/186 in terms of research ethics. In addition, permission was obtained from Karaman Municipality Directorate of Veterinary Affairs with the letter dated 05.12.2018 and numbered 78380475-806.01.03-E.93811-318.

Destekleyen Kurum

Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey Üniversitesi, Bilimsel Araştırma Projeleri Koordinatörlüğü

Proje Numarası

09-YL-19

Teşekkür

We would like to thank Prof. Dr. Münir AKTAŞ from the Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Fırat University for sending the positive control DNA samples and Dr. Lecturer Çağlar Kıvanç KAYMAZ from the Department of Geography, Faculty of Literature, Atatürk University for his support in drawing the map showing the study area. We would like to thank Çağlar Kıvanç KAYMAZ. We would also like to thank Karaman Municipality Veterinary Affairs Directorate and animal shelter staff for their support in my field studies. This research was supported by Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University Scientific Research Projects Commission within the scope of the project numbered 09-YL-19.

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