A survey of 300 apparently healthy dogs from three Hanoi shelters used PCR and sequencing for Babesia vogeli, Hepatozoon canis, Rickettsia, and Mycoplasma. At least one pathogen was detected in 131 dogs (43.7%), and 8.7% had coinfections.
Key findings
- Overall prevalence was 43.7%, ranging 38-52% by shelter. Single infections were 35.0%, led by R. felis 25.7% and M. haemocanis 24.0%; B. vogeli and H. canis were 1.3% each. Coinfection was 8.7%, mainly R. felis plus M. haemocanis at 8.3%. Tested host factors were nonsignificant.
Why this matters globally
Dense shelters with variable vector control are important surveillance sites for animal and some zoonotic pathogens. Molecular detection can reveal subclinical circulation and guide control design.
Thai researcher contribution
Kasetsart University parasitologists collaborated with Vietnamese partners on molecular detection and confirmation. Dogs were sampled in Hanoi, not Thailand.
Limitations to consider
Three cross-sectional shelters create clustering and selection bias. PCR detects DNA, not viability, disease, or human transmission. The sequenced fraction is unstated, nonsignificant risk factors may reflect limited power, and Rickettsia species calls depend on marker resolution.