Molecular survey of tick-borne pathogens in domestic dogs from a rural region within the buffer zone of a conservation unit in the Brazilian Caatinga biome

Abstract Although previous studies have identified Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, Babesia vogeli, and Hepatozoon canis in dogs in Northeastern Brazil, research on their presence within and around environmental conservation units remains scarce. The present study investigated the presence of tick-borne pathogens in domestic dogs in the rural region of Baraúna, within the buffer zone of the Furna Feia National Park (FFNP), an environmental conservation unit in the Caatinga biome of Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern Brazil. Blood samples from 52 dogs were collected to detect the presence of A. platys (16S rRNA), B. vogeli (18S rRNA), E. canis (16S rRNA), and H. canis (18S rRNA) DNA by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). More than 90% of dogs were found to be infected with at least one pathogen, predominantly E. canis and H. canis. Co-infections (38.5%) and multi-infections with three (19.2%) and four (5.8%) pathogens were also frequent and diverse, underscoring the complexity of tick-borne diseases in this region. These findings highlight the epidemiological importance of dog-associated pathogens, and raise concerns regarding their potential transmission to wildlife within the conservation unit, as some of these pathogens have been previously described in wild mammalian species inhabiting the FFNP, including endangered species.