Prevalence of antibodies to Bartonella henselae in dogs in Italy

Dogs can be infected by several zoonotic Bartonella species. In Italy, the B. henselae infection has been described in cats; nevertheless, information is lacking about the circulation in canine populations. The aim of this study was to assess the seroprevalence against B. henselae in dogs from northern Italy. A total of 381 canine sera were tested by an indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test, using B. henselae type 1 (Houston 1), as antigen. Antibodies to B. henselae were detected in 23 out of 381 (6 per cent) samples tested, with antibody titres ranging from 64 to 512. Twenty-two seropositive dogs were apparently healthy, one dog showed systemic limphadenopaty and dermatitis and resulted seropositive for leishmaniosis. Nineteen seropositive animals were sporting dogs living in rural area and probably exposed to tick bites, four dogs lived indoors and no date were available about the presence of cats in their environment. Further focused investigations are needed to assess the epidemiological relevance of the B. henselae infection in dogs in Italy.