Canine Ticks, Tick-Borne Pathogens and Associated Risk Factors in Nigeria

Abstract

Tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) pose a significant threat to canine health in Nigeria. Despite this, there is little data on the molecular identification of ticks and TBPs of dogs in Nigeria. This study assessed the prevalence of ticks and TBPs in Nigerian dogs, along with associated risk factors. A total of 259 dogs were enrolled in the study, from which 112 adult ticks were collected. Of these, 40 were characterized by molecular barcoding confirming <i>Rhipicephalus sanguineus</i> (<i>R. sanguineus</i>, 35/40) and <i>Haemphysalis leachi</i> (<i>H. leachi</i>, 5/40) infestations. Nucleotide sequences showed high percentage similarity to <i>R. sanguineus</i> tropical lineage and <i>H. leachi</i> sequences from Chad. Point-of-care (POC) testing of 259 dogs detected antibodies to TBPs in 40.9% of blood samples, with <i>Ehrlichia</i> (29.7%), <i>Anaplasma</i> (10.8%), and <i>Dirofilaria</i> (0.4%) species identified. PCR assays revealed a prevalence of 58.7% for TBPs, including <i>Ehrlichia</i> (40.5%) and <i>Babesia</i> (17.4%), with 7.3% co-infected. Risk factor analysis showed that adult dogs and those infested with ticks had a higher likelihood of TBP seropositivity. Exotic breeds and dogs examined during the rainy season were more likely to test positive for TBPs via PCR. Overall, this study demonstrates the high prevalence of diverse TBPs in Nigerian dogs and suggests that dog breed may play a role in susceptibility to diseases.