Babesia in dogs may help predict human risk. Investigators studied tick-transmitted diseases including Babesia in hunting dogs to determine potential risks to humans. Dogs exposed to ticks can serve as sentinels for tick-borne disease trends.
Hunting dogs, specifically, were tracked as they are exposed to ticks more often than pet dogs. And they are more likely to be outdoors for long periods in tick habitats and less likely to be groomed for ticks by their owner.
Furthermore, “A recent occupational study found that those who work with hunting dogs compared to those who work in high-risk tick environments, were 5.83 times more likely to report having found embedded ticks on their bodies,” writes Mahachi.
The authors examined the incidence of Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and Babesia in hunting dogs. But they excluded dogs that were symptomatic with Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasmosis.
Babesia in Dogs: Regional Findings
They found, “Unlike B. burgdorferi and Anaplasma spp., the highest number of seroprevalent dogs with Babesia spp. was in the Midwest (52.5%) and South (50%) and the lowest numbers in the West (32.6%), with high levels across all regions.”
Co-infections Common in Hunting Dogs
The hunting dogs also had a high rate of co-infection with Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma spp. The presence of co-infections, however, was not a surprise to investigators, given that past studies have found “up to 40% of patients with Lyme disease experienced concurrent babesiosis infections and 13% experienced concurrent Anaplasma infections.”
Babesia in Dogs Stays Elevated Year-Round
The authors also examined seropositivity results over three time periods: January–February, August, and November. “Our results show that Babesia spp., Ba. gibsoni, and B. burgdorferi seropositivity remained elevated across all three time points.”
“It is important for healthcare workers to take note of current region and regions veterinary patients and their owners may have visited when considering tick-borne disease diagnoses,” writes Mahachi.
Dogs as Sentinels for Human Risk
Unfortunately, the surveillance of tick-borne diseases, such as Babesia, in dogs has been limited due to a lack of centralized federal surveillance or mandate.
But, the authors write, “given the close interaction between dogs and people, dogs can serve as an important sentinel species to help track vector-borne disease risks by monitoring trends of infection from tick-borne pathogens in dogs.”
This study reinforces that babesia in dogs isn’t just a veterinary concern — it’s a warning sign for human exposure in endemic regions.
References
- Mahachi K, Kontowicz E, Anderson B, et al. Predominant risk factors for tick-borne co-infections in hunting dogs from the USA. Parasit Vectors. 2020;13(1):247.
My urine is the color of maple syrup.I’m assuming this means the liver is being thrown off kilter and damaged.Is there some substance taken prior to administration of the atova/azithro that would “protect” the liver? thank you
I would recommend an evaluation of your liver and other organs. I would typically hold treatment until these issues have been addressed.