Seroprevalencija i faktori rizika za pojavu emergentnih oboljenja u prihvatilištima za napuštene pse

Abstract

Of the emergent and re-emergent zoonotic diseases that pose a threat to public health, vector-borne diseases occupy a significant place. The reservoir of infection for vectors, and thus for other types of animals and humans, are abandoned dogs and dogs from shelters.This is due to their lifestyle, zoohygienic conditions in shelters, irregular implementation of preventive measures, mixing of dogs from different environments, as well as climate changes that favor breeding and maintenance of vectors of various diseases. Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, Lyme borreliosis, leishmaniasis and dirofilariasis are among the vector-borne emergent diseases of dogs with zoonotic potential. In previous years in the Republic of Serbia, partial studies of vector-borne diseases in dogs from different populations were carried out. Considering the large number of abandoned dogs and dogs placed in shelters in our country, the need for additional studies emerged. The aim of this dissertation was to obtain more precise data on the presence and circulation of the causative agents Ehrlichia canis, Borrelia burgdorferi, Leishmania infantum and Dirofilaria immitis in the population of dogs from 5 shelters located in two districts of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. 432 dogs that were selected by simple randomization were included in the research. Epidemiological, clinical andlaboratory tests were carried out, as well as the identification of risk factors for the onset of infection. The analysis of the obtained results revealed positive serological findings for Ehrlichia canis, Borrelia burgdorferi and Dirofilaria immitis in a certain number of dogs in all 5 shelters, while specific antibodies to Leishmania infantum were not detected in dogs from 2 shelters, which were detected in the other ones. Furthermore, no correlation was established between the selected biochemical and hematological parameters in the blood of dogs with positive serological findings for Ehrlichia canis, Borrelia burgdorferi, Leishmania infantum and Dirofilaria immitis. Most of the registered symptoms, during the clinical examination of dogs with a positive serological finding, were of a general nature and did not directly indicate the accompanying diseases. When comparing all 5 shelters, the lowest number of seropositive dogs was found in the shelter where the dogs are kept in controlled conditions with the application of zooprophylactic and immunoprophylactic measures, and the highest number of seropositive dogs was found in the shelter where the dogs are kept in fenced yards with an insufficient number of shelters, occasional use of anti-endoparasitic drugs but without the regular implementation of immunoprophylactic measures, use of anti-ectoparasitic drugs and testing for infectious diseases. In accordance with the obtained results, this research indicated the need for continuous monitoring of vector-borne emergent diseases with zoonotic potential in the population of abandoned and sheltered dogs, with the aim of establishing a timely and accurate diagnosis, as well as implementing adequate therapy. Also, this research indicates the importance of collecting and monitoring epidemiological data related to the spread and movement of this group of infectious diseases due to the existence of a risk to public health.