Presence of Ehrlichia spp and associated factors in dogs older than one year of age infested with ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) from the urban area, Somoto-Madriz (Nicaragua), 2021

Abstract

A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in the city of Somoto-Madriz, with the aim of determining the presence of Ehrlichia spp in dogs infested with ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) and factors associated with the infection of the bacteria in canines older than one year. of age, in sectors 18 and 20, neighborhoods that correspond to the largest canine population. Blood samples were collected directly from the cephalic vein of each of the canines, processed with the blood smear technique and molecular PCR technique. With the use of the Working Epidemiology program, a probabilistic sample of 90 animals from 191 proportionally distributed canines was estimated. , 42 in sector 18 and 48 for sector 20, the prevalence of the bacteria, the presence of E. canis by PCR and factors associated with the appearance of the bacteria in positive animals were studied. The prevalence of Canis in sector eighteen was 3.8% (3/42), while in sector 20 it was 10.4% (5/48), it was 15.8 and 3.8 for sectors 18 and 20 respectively, with the confirmation of three samples positive to E. canis by PCR, it should be considered that no association was found between age, race and presence of ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) with positivity to Ehrlichia spp.