Molecular characterization of <i>babesia</i> species infecting dogs (<i>Canis familiaris</i>) in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Babesiosis is a tick-borne disease caused by an intra-erythrocytic protozoan of the genus Babesia. The genus contains a large number of species capable of infecting a variety of mammalian hosts, including humans. Misdiagnosis of the infection is a major setback in disease management, monitoring, and control. Therefore, timely and precise identification of infecting Babesia species is critical. This study aimed at detecting and characterizing the Babesia species infecting dogs in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja. Blood samples were collected from apparently healthy dogs (n=480), thin smears were prepared, Giemsa-stained, and examined under a microscope. DNA was extracted from positive blood samples (n=15), and PCR amplification of the 18S rRNA gene was performed using generic primers. PCR products were purified, electrophoresed on 1.5% agarose gels and thereafter, sequenced bidirectionally. The prevalence of Babesia species in thin smear was 3.1%. The prevalence in the six Area Councils was 5.0%, 3.75%, 2.5%, 2.5%, 2.5% and 2.5% for Gwagwalada, Municipal, Bwari, Kuje, Kwali and Abaji respectively. The prevalence in relation to age was 3.87% in dogs >1year old and 1.76% in dogs ≤ 1 year old. Prevalence by breed, was 4.38% in exotic dogs, 3.23% in local and 2.35% in crossbred. The prevalence in relation to sex was 3.96% in males and 2.37% in females. The BLAST search was carried out in the NCBI database, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed using nucleotide sequences in GenBank. Electrophoresed PCR products revealed a band size of about 612bp. Blast in NCBI demonstrated 100% similarity with Babesia canis vogeli nucleotide sequences. This study reaffirmed the molecular identification of B. c. vogeli in apparently healthy dogs in Nigeria and it may be of clinical importance to veterinary clinicians in the management and control of the disease.