A.R. Alborzi
R. Avizeh
B. Mosallanejad
M.H. Razi jalali
H. Hamidi Nejat
R. Taghipour

Canine Babesiosis is an important worldwide, tick-born disease caused by apicomplexan hemoparasitic from genus Babesia. The aim of the present survey was to identify the current state of Babesia infection in urban and rural dogs in Ahvaz district, southwest of Iran. For this reason, ۲۰۰ rural dogs from ۵ village around Ahvaz and ۲۰۰ urban dogs (stratified random sampling) referred to the veterinary hospital of Shahid Chamran University were examined for the presence of Babesia species within ۲ years. The studied dogs were classified based on age, sex, breed and season. Blood samples were taken from cephalic or saphenous vein and then peripheral thin blood smears were prepared and stained with Giemsa for parasitological examination. Among ۴۰۰ dogs, ۱۵ samples (۳.۷۵%) were infected with Babesia canis. The present study showed that from ۲۰۰ rural dogs, ۱۱ samples (۵.۵%) and from ۲۰۰ urban dogs, ۴ samples (۲%) were positive for B. canis. Infection rate was higher in adult dogs ۳-۶ years-old (۴.۴۶; ۵ out of ۱۱۲) compared with young's less than ۳ years (۳.۵۹; ۷ out of ۱۹۵) and above ۶ years (۳.۸۵; ۳ out of ۷۸). The infection was higher in female dogs (۴.۲۹%; ۶ out of ۱۴۰) than males (۳.۴۶%; ۹ out of ۲۶۰) and in warm season (۵.۱۵%; ۱۲ out of ۲۳۳) compared with cold season (۱.۸%; ۳ out of ۱۶۷), nevertheless, there was not significant relationship between sex, age and season in urban dogs (P>۰.۰۵), but significant difference was revealed between season and infection in rural dogs population (P

Infection rate, Babesia canis, Dog, Ahvaz