Canine tick-borne pathogens (CTBPs) such as Babesia vogeli, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, Hepatozoon canis, and Mycoplasma haemocanis are important pathogens in dogs worldwide. Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, the main vector of several CTBPs, is the most common tick species found on dogs in Thailand. The present study identified CTBPs in dogs and ticks infested dogs. Samples (360 dog blood samples and 85 individual ticks) were collected from stray dogs residing in 37 temples from 24 districts in Bangkok and screened for CTBPs using molecular techniques. The most common CTBP found infecting dogs in this study was Ehrlichia canis (38.3%) followed by Mycoplasma haemocanis (34.2%), Hepatozoon canis (19.7%), Babesia vogeli (18.1%), and Anaplasma platys (13.9%), respectively. Furthermore, A. platys (22.4%) was the most common CTBP in ticks followed by M. haemocanis (18.8%), B. vogeli (9.4%), H. canis (5.9%), and E. canis (2.4%), respectively. The detection of CTBPs from the present study highlights the potential risk of infections that may occur in stray dogs and their ticks residing in Bangkok temples. These findings underline the importance of performing active surveys to understand the complexity of distributions of CTBPs in dogs and their ticks in Thailand.

A number of epidemiological studies have demonstrated Giardia as prevalent in both humans and dogs worldwide and have postulated the occurrence of anthroponotic, zoonotic and animal-specific cycles of transmission, which may be geographically and regionally unique in its epidemiology. The aim of this study was to utilise molecular tools to determine the prevalence and compare genotypes of Giardia duodenalis infecting humans and dogs living in a previously identified Giardia-endemic village in rural Cambodia in order to ascertain zoonotic transmission risk. The prevalence of G. duodenalis in humans and dogs was 18.3% (40/218) and 10.6% (10/94) by PCR, respectively. Molecular characterisation of the small subunit of ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene, triose phosphate isomerase (TPI) gene and sub-assemblage characterisation of the glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh) gene placed 27.5% (11/40) of Giardia positive humans into assemblage AII and 72.5% (29/40) into assemblage BIII of G. duodenalis. In dogs, 20.0% (2/10) of Giardia-positive samples were characterised as G. duodenalis assemblage BIII, 40.0% (4/10) as assemblage C and 40.0% (4/10) as mix infection between assemblage C and D. Overall, just over 2% of dogs harboured potentially zoonotic assemblages of G. duodenalis in the studied communities and hence pose a minimal zoonotic risk for the transmission of Giardia to humans.

Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati are known as common roundworm in dogs and cats, respectively. The objective of the current study was to determine the molecular prevalence and risk factors associated with T. canis and T. cati infections in stray dogs and cats, respectively, in Bangkok, Thailand. In total, 1000 fecal samples (from 500 dogs and 500 cats) were collected from stray dogs and cats residing in Bangkok temples. DNA was extracted and screened for T. canis and T. cati using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. The overall prevalence of T. canis in the stray dogs was 5.4% (27/500) and 0.6% (3/500) for T. cati in the stray cats. Toxocara canis infections were detected in stray dogs from 11 out of 48 districts (22.9%), with Bang Khen district having the highest proportion of infected dogs, whereas T. cati infections were only detected in the stray cats in Lat Krabang district. These results indicated that stray animals residing in Bangkok temples pose a considerable public health risk due to zoonotic parasites, especially T. canis.

Pet animals (dogs and cats) can be infected with several companion vector-borne pathogens (CVBPs). Morbidity and mortality have been reported in pet animals due to CVBP infections. Pet animals living in close proximity to humans are able to transmit zoonotic pathogens. This study used molecular techniques to investigate the prevalence of CVBPs in apparently healthy pet animals (dogs and cats) from Khukhot City Municipality, Pathum Thani province, Thailand. In total, 210 blood samples were randomly collected from 95 dogs and 115 cats for the detection of seven companion vector-borne pathogens (Anaplasma, Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichia, Hepatozoon, Mycoplasma, and Rickettsia) using polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that 10.5% (22/210) of apparently healthy pet animals were infected with at least one pathogen, comprising 6 dogs (6.3% of all dogs tested) and 16 cats (13.9% of all cats tested). Ehrlichia (6.3%) was present only in dogs; furthermore, 1.1% of the dogs were positive for Anaplasma. There was one dog case co-infected with two pathogens (1.1%). In cats, Mycoplasma (9.6%) was the predominant CVBP, followed by Rickettsia (4.4%). The DNA sequences of all positive animals were 97–99% homologous to those found in the GenBank™ database for all CVBPs identified, namely Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, Rickettsia felis, Mycoplasma haemofelis, and Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum. Additionally, the risk of infection with CVBPs in pets was significantly associated with age, with young dogs more likely to be infected with CVBPs than adult dogs (OR 8.5, 95% CI 1.4–50.1, p = 0.006), while adult cats were more likely to be infected with CVBPs than young cats (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.0–14.0, p = 0.038). The detection of CVBPs demonstrated the potential risk of infection that may occur in apparently healthy pet animals in Pathum Thani province. These results confirmed that apparently healthy pet animals may still be at risk of vector-borne infections and could maintain the infection cycle in pet populations. Furthermore, sampling a greater number of apparently healthy pet animals may disclose predictors of CVBP positivity in domesticated animals in this area.

Hookworms are the most common parasitic nematodes in the genus of Ancylostoma that infect both humans and animals in subtropical and tropical South East Asia. The common hookworm species in cats is Ancylostoma ceylanicum which is emerging in Thailand. However, the genetic characterization of hookworms in cats is outdated and insufficiently studied in Thailand. We aimed to investigate the prevalence, risk factors and genetic characterization of hookworm infection in semi-domesticated temple cats in Bangkok, Thailand. A total of 500 temple cat fecal samples were collected from 43 monasteries in 24 districts of Bangkok, Thailand. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was performed by amplifying the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (cox 1) gene. The infection prevalence of hookworm in temple cats was 13.2% (66/500). The highest prevalence was 34.6% in the Bang Khun Thian district, which is located in a suburban area. The risk factor analysis revealed that cats older than one year (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.1–5.5, p < 0.05), lack of veterinary attention (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.7–4.9, p < 0.001) and Bangkok zone (suburban vs. inner city; OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.6–5.4, p < 0.001) were significantly increasing hookworm infection risk. All hookworm positive samples were identified as A. ceylanicum by ITS gene. Moreover, genetic characterization of cox 1 gene in A. ceylanicum isolates indicated a mix of isolates from humans, cats and dogs. The findings show that temple cats can act as a potential source of zoonotic hookworm parasites for the human and animal population in Bangkok, Thailand. Therefore, appropriate control measures for hookworms in semi-domesticated temple cats as well as prevention measures for hookworms in pet cats and humans should be promoted.

Anaplasmosis is a significant tick-borne disease (TBDs) caused by Anaplasma that affecting ruminant health and production worldwide. This study aimed to identify Anaplasma spp. infection using molecular as a fast diagnostic tool, perform a phylogenetic analysis and evaluate associated risk factors for combating Anaplasma spp. infection in small-scale livestock farms in Thailand. Total 963 blood samples from ruminants were collected from 125 farms across 4 regions of Thailand. Molecular diagnosis of Anaplasma spp. targeted the msp4 gene using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed and reported to the farmers within 14 days. Positive PCR products were purified, sequenced, and analysed the phylogenetic. Associated risk factor evaluations were conducted using R software. The overall prevalence of Anaplasma spp. infection in ruminants was 26.90%. The highest prevalence was observed in bullfighting cattle (47.06%), followed by beef cattle (35.75%), dairy cattle (21.73%), and goats (6.67%), with no infection in buffalo. Regionally, the Northern region had the highest prevalence (49.01%), followed by the Southern (25.88%), Central (22.01%), and Northeastern (13.81%) regions. Anaplasma spp. was commonly detected in Phrae, Chiang Rai, and Tak provinces. Sequencing confirmed A. marginale 99.64% to 99.76% identity to sequences in GenBank. Risk factors associated with A. marginale infection were history of TBDs on farm, animal illnesses, responsible person for treatment, and improper faeces removal practices. This study revealed a moderate to high Anaplasma infection across four regions. These findings underscore the need for enhanced tick control measures on farms, should be strictly implemented and promoted to reduce disease prevalence.