Molecular Detection of Canine Babesiosis in and Around Bhubaneswar, India

Charchika Panda; Manaswini Dehuri; Mitra R. Panda; Lakshman K. Sahoo; Bijayendranath Mohanty

doi:10.21887/ijvsbt.17.3.15

Charchika Panda Fisheries and Animal Resources Department, Govt. of Odisha, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
Manaswini Dehuri College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, OUAT, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
Mitra R. Panda College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, OUAT, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
Lakshman K. Sahoo Central Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
Bijayendranath Mohanty 2,3,5College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, OUAT, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21887/ijvsbt.17.3.15

Keywords: Babesia vogeli, Babesia gibsoni, India, Molecular detection.

Abstract

Canine babesiosis, a hemolytic protozoan disease, represents an important veterinary problem caused primarily by large and small forms of piroplasms of Babesia spp. A molecular-based survey on the overall occurrence of natural Babesia infection in stray (n=98 ) and pet dogs (n=100) from Bhubaneswar and nearby areas using PCR technique targeting 18s RNA gene fragment along with genetic sequence analysis was carried out. A total of 38 (pet:22, stray:16) samples (19.19%) were found positive for babesiosis based on the amplification of 450 bp amplicon region of the gene, while 4 samples (0.02%) showed co-infection with Hepatozoon canis. The sequenced PCR products were submitted to NCBI, and on BLAST analysis, the isolates with accession no KT246303, KT246306, KT246307 showing similarity with Babesia vogeli, while KT246305 was identical to B.gibsoni isolates and KT246304 was identical to Hepatozoon canis. This is the first report on the molecular diagnosis of canine babesiosis in the state.