Haematological Alterations Associated with Selected Vector-Borne Infections and Exposure in Dogs from Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia

Canine ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, and other vector-borne diseases are relevant for public health in the tropics. Despite this, studies characterizing certain clinical aspects, such as haematological alterations, are lacking, especially in Colombia and Latin America. In the present study, in an area where previously no studies on such diseases have been published, we identified and characterized, by serological and molecular testing, dogs with such infections to describe and compare their haematological alterations according to the infection status. That led to the finding that thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, and pancytopenia, are significant features of infection, even with a high positive predictive value. That highlights the importance of haematology in the suspicion of ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis and other vector-borne diseases, especially in endemic areas. Infections due to Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Dirofilaria, Mycoplasma, Babesia and Hepatozoon continue to be highly prevalent in dogs, especially in tropical and subtropical areas, where vectors of many of them are present. However, many clinical aspects of dogs have not been characterized in detail, including assessing the haematological alterations associated with them, particularly in Colombia and Latin America. A group of 100 dogs with Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Dirofilaria, Mycoplasma, Babesia and Hepatozoon infections/exposure were assessed by blood smear serology (SNAP4DX) and PCR in Pereira, Colombia. We performed blood counts to evaluate anaemia, leukopenia/leukocytosis, neutropenia, neutrophilia, lymphopenia/lymphocytosis, monocytosis, eosinophilia, and thrombocytopenia, among other alterations. Bivariate analyses were performed on Stata((R))14, with significant p < 0.05. From the total, 85% presented >= 1 infection (past or present), 66% with coinfections (>= 2 pathogens) (Ehrlichia 75%), and 89% presented clinical alterations. A total of 100% showed anaemia, 70% thrombocytopenia, 61% monocytosis, and 47% neutropenia, among other alterations. Additionally, 11% presented pancytopenia and 59% bicytopenia. The median platelet count was lower in infected dogs (126,000 cells/mu L) versus non-infected (221,000 cells/mu L) (p = 0.003). Thrombocytopenia was higher among infected dogs (75%) versus non-infected (40%) (p = 0.006), with a 91% positive predictive value for infection. Median neutrophil count was lower in infected dogs (6591 cells/mu L) versus non-infected (8804 cells/mu L) (p = 0.013). Lymphocytosis occurred only among those infected (27%) (p = 0.022). Leukopenia was only observed among infected dogs (13%). Pancytopenia was only observed among infected dogs. Ehrlichiosis and other hematic infections have led to a significant burden of haematological alterations on infected dogs, including pancytopenia in a tenth of them, most with thrombocytopenia and all anemic.