Journal of Veterinary Parasitology
SCOPUS
  • Year: 2016
  • Volume: 30
  • Issue: 2

Molecular detection and prevalence of Babesia canis in naturally infected dogs in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu1

  • Author:
  • M. Kalaivanan, S. Saravanan, K.M. Palanivel, G. Ponnudurai1
  • Total Page Count: 4
  • Page Number: 86 to 89

1Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal

Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Namakkal-637002, Tamil Nadu, India

*Corresponding author. Email: sarvet_25@yahoo.com

**Part of the M.V. Sc. thesis submitted by the first author to the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai-600051

Online published on 18 December, 2018.

Abstract

A total of 150 dogs brought to Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal, from September, 2015 to April, 2016 were screened for Babesia canis by blood smear examination and polymerase chain reaction. Results revealed a prevalence of 0.66 and 9.33 per cent, respectively. PCR was found to have high sensitivity (100%) and specificity (91.27%) when compared with microscopic examination. The 18S rRNA of B. canis was found to possess 95–97% homology with the isolates of B. canis available in the GenBank. Males (10.18%), non-descript dogs (17.64%) and dogs in the age group of 1–2 years (15%) were found to be highly susceptible.

Keywords

Prevalence, Babesia canis, PCR, Phylogeny