Title: Canine vector-borne disease

A '''canine vector-borne disease''' ('''CVBD''') is one of &quot;a group of globally distributed and rapidly spreading illnesses that are caused by a range of [[pathogen]]s transmitted by [[arthropod]]s including [[tick]]s, [[flea]]s, [[mosquito]]es and [[Phlebotominae|phlebotomine sandflies]].&quot;&lt;ref name=&quot;ManagingZoonoticConcern1&quot;&gt;Domenico Otranto, Filipe Dantas-Torres &amp; Edward B. Breitschwerdt, [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Filipe_Dantas-Torres/publication/24185427_Managing_canine_vector-borne_diseases_of_zoonotic_concern_Part_one/links/02bfe50e70c04ee06b000000.pdf Managing canine vector-borne diseases of zoonotic concern: part one], ''[[Trends in Parasitology]]''  Vol. 25, Issue 4, pp. 157–163 (April 2009).&lt;/ref&gt; CVBDs are important in the fields of [[veterinary medicine]], [[animal welfare]], and [[public health]].&lt;ref name=&quot;ManagingZoonoticConcern1&quot;/&gt; Some CVBDs are of [[zoonotic]] concern.&lt;ref name=&quot;ManagingZoonoticConcern1&quot;/&gt;

Many CVBD are transmissible to humans as well as [[pet|companion animals]]. Some CVBD are fatal; most can only be controlled, not cured.{{Citation needed|date=November 2020}} Therefore, [[infection]] should be avoided by preventing [[arthropod]] vectors from feeding on the blood of their preferred hosts. While it is well known that arthropods transmit bacteria and protozoa during blood feeds, [[virus]]es are also becoming recognized as another group of transmitted pathogens of both animals and humans.&lt;ref name=bayerNR&gt;{{cite press release | title = First Canine Vector-Borne Disease Symposium in Billesley, UK | publisher = Bayer HealthCare | date = April 2006 | url = http://www.animalhealth.bayerhealthcare.com/fileadmin/presslounge/att/2006-04-232-E.rtf | accessdate = 2005-11-16 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061018135231/http://www.animalhealth.bayerhealthcare.com/fileadmin/presslounge/att/2006-04-232-E.rtf | archive-date = 2006-10-18 | url-status = dead }}&lt;/ref&gt;

Some canine vector-borne pathogens of major zoonotic concern are found worldwide, while others are localized by continent.&lt;ref name=&quot;ManagingZoonoticConcern1&quot;/&gt; Listed by [[Vector (epidemiology)|vector]], some such pathogens and their associated diseases are the following:&lt;ref name=&quot;ManagingZoonoticConcern1&quot; /&gt;

'''Phlebotomine sandflies ([[Psychodidae]]):'''
* ''[[Leishmania amazonensis]]'', ''[[Leishmania colombiensis|L. colombiensis]]'', and ''[[Leishmania infantum|L. infantum]]'' cause [[visceral leishmaniasis]] (see also [[canine leishmaniasis]]).
* ''[[Leishmania braziliensis|L. braziliensis]]'' causes [[mucocutaneous leishmaniasis]].
* ''[[Leishmania tropica|L. tropica]]'' causes [[cutaneous leishmaniasis]].
* ''[[Leishmania peruviana|L. peruviana]]'' and ''[[Leishmania major|L. major]]'' cause localized cutaneous leishmaniasis.

'''Triatomine bugs ([[Reduviidae]]):'''
* ''[[Trypanosoma cruzi]]'' causes [[trypanosomiasis]] ([[Chagas disease]]).

'''Ticks ([[Ixodidae]]):'''
* ''[[Babesia canis]]'' subspecies (''Babesia canis canis'', ''B. canis vogeli'', ''B. canis rossi'', and ''B. canis gibsoni'') cause [[babesiosis]].
* ''[[Ehrlichia canis]]'' and ''[[Ehrlichia chaffeensis|E. chaffeensis]]'' cause monocytic [[ehrlichiosis]].
* ''[[Anaplasma phagocytophilum]]'' causes granulocytic [[anaplasmosis]].
* ''[[Borrelia burgdorferi]]'' causes [[Lyme disease]].
* ''[[Rickettsia rickettsii]]'' causes [[Rocky Mountain spotted fever]].
* ''[[Rickettsia conorii]]'' causes [[Mediterranean spotted fever]].

'''Mosquitoes ([[Culicidae]]):'''
* ''[[Dirofilaria immitis]]'' and ''[[Dirofilaria repens|D. repens]]'' cause [[dirofilariasis]].&lt;ref name=&quot;ManagingZoonoticConcern1&quot; /&gt;

'''Other parasites:'''
* ''[[Toxocara canis]]''
* ''[[Echinococcus]]''

'''Prevention and Control Strategies'''

'''Prevention Strategies'''

*'''Leishmania Vaccines:''' In regions such as  Southern Europe and certain parts of Latin America, Leishmania infection, caused by the bite of infected sandflies, is a significant concern. Vaccination against Leishmania is an emerging preventive strategy. While no vaccine offers complete immunity, vaccines such as CaniLeish and Letifend are designed to reduce the severity of the disease and prevent clinical signs. Dogs in endemic areas may benefit from combining vaccination with vector control methods. ''Palatnik-de-Sousa (2012)'' reviews the development and efficacy of vaccines for canine leishmaniasis, a severe parasitic disease caused by Leishmania species. The author discusses two critical vaccines,'' CaniLeish and Leishmune'', evaluating their ability to reduce clinical signs and prevent the spread of the disease by controlling parasite transmission. While vaccines don't offer complete immunity, they are an essential part of a broader strategy that includes vector control and prophylactic treatments to mitigate the burden of this disease in endemic areas.

*'''Tick and Flea Preventatives:''' Fleas and ticks are vectors for serious diseases like ''Lyme, Ehrlichiosis'', and ''Anaplasmosis''. Preventatives that target fleas and ticks are crucial in reducing the transmission of these pathogens. 
These include:

*'''Spot-on treatments:''' Applied to the dog's skin (e.g., ''Frontline, Advantix''), these treatments offer protection by killing ticks and fleas on contact and can last for several weeks (Beugnet &amp; Franc, 2012).

*'''Oral preventatives:''' Medications like ''Bravecto'' or ''NexGard'' are chewable tablets that protect against ticks and fleas for up to three months. They work systemically, killing the parasites when they feed on the dog.

*'''Collars: Insecticidal collars''' (e.g., ''Seresto'') provide long-lasting protection (up to eight months) and are impregnated with chemicals like imidacloprid or flumethrin, which repel and kill ticks and fleas (Stanneck et al., 2012).

'''Control Strategies'''

*'''Vector Control''': focuses on reducing the population of disease-carrying vectors like ticks, mosquitoes, and sandflies, which transmit CVBDs. These strategies thereby target both the environment and the animal to prevent infection.

*'''Insecticide-Treated Dog Collars:''' continuously releases small amounts of insecticides to repel and kill ticks, fleas, and sandflies before they can transmit diseases. Collars like ''Scalibor'' and ''Seresto ''are popular due to their long-lasting effects (Stanneck et al., 2012).

*'''Environmental Management:''' Reducing vector habitats is critical in controlling the spread of diseases. 

*'''Tick habitat management:''' Keeping dogs away from areas where ticks thrive (e.g., tall grasses, woods) can help limit exposure. Regular grooming and inspection of dogs for ticks are critical, especially after walks in tick-prone areas (Eisen et al.,2021).

*'''Flea control in homes:''' Fleas can quickly spread indoors. Regular vacuuming, washing pet bedding, and treating the environment with insecticides help break the flea lifecycle.

*'''Sandfly control:''' For dogs at risk of Leishmania, keeping them indoors during peak sandfly activity (dusk and dawn), using insecticide-treated bed nets, and reducing sandfly breeding sites (e.g., removing decaying organic matter) are effective strategies (Eisen et al.,2021).

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

&lt;ref&gt;
Beugnet, F., &amp; Franc, M. (2012). Insecticide and acaricide molecules and/or combinations to prevent pet infestation by ectoparasites. Trends in parasitology, 28(7), 267–279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pt.2012.04.004&lt;/ref&gt;

&lt;ref&gt;Eisen, L., &amp; Stafford, K. C. (2021). Barriers to Effective Tick Management and Tick-Bite Prevention in the United States (Acari: Ixodidae). Journal of medical entomology, 58(4), 1588–1600. https://doi.org/10.1093/jme/tjaa079&lt;/ref&gt;

&lt;ref&gt;Palatnik-de-Sousa C. B. (2012). Vaccines for canine leishmaniasis. Frontiers in immunology, 3, 69. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2012.00069&lt;/ref&gt;
&lt;ref&gt;
Reithinger, R., &amp; Davies, C. R. (2002). Canine leishmaniasis: novel strategies for control. Trends in parasitology, 18(7), 289–290. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1471-4922(02)02296-1&lt;/ref&gt;

&lt;ref&gt;Stanneck, D., Kruedewagen, E. M., Fourie, J. J., Horak, I. G., Davis, W., &amp; Krieger, K. J. (2012). Efficacy of an imidacloprid/flumethrin collar against fleas, ticks, mites and lice on dogs. Parasites &amp; vectors, 5, 102. https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-3305-5-102&lt;/ref&gt;

[[Category:Dog diseases|Vector-borne disease]]