Serological survey of vector-borne pathogens in shelter dogs from the Metropolitan Area of Bucaramanga, Colombia

Abstract Canine vector-borne pathogens are found in many regions and represent a challenge for animal health. Shelter dogs are found to be an important health and ecological factor in urban areas in Colombia. Therefore, the aim of the present research was to determine the seroprevalence of canine vector-borne pathogens in shelter dogs from the Metropolitan Area of Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia. An IDEXX SNAP® 4Dx Plus assay was employed to test 278 shelter dogs. From each dog, the following data were collected: municipality, age, gender, and coat length. Overall, 81.3% of the tested dogs were positive for one or more of the vector-borne pathogens. The highest prevalence observed was for Ehrlichia spp. (79.9%) in 278 shelter dogs, followed by Anaplasma spp. (36%), Dirofilaria immitis (6.5%) and Borrelia burgdorferi (2.2%). Regarding the variable age, dogs less than one year old showed a statistical association (P = 0.02) for Anaplasma spp., and short-haired dogs showed a statistical association (P = 0.03) for D. immitis. The present study provides current information on the seroprevalence of vector-borne pathogens in shelter dogs from the Metropolitan Area of Bucaramanga, and these findings could be useful for control measures that should be implemented on dog populations and vector populations in the study area.