The Prevalence, Seroprevalence, and Risk Factors of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus in Dogs in Lithuania, a Highly Endemic State.

ABSTRACT: The rising awareness and increasing number of case reports of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in dogs indicate that the virus might be an important tick-borne pathogen in dogs, especially in endemic areas. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence rate of TBEV RNA and TBEV-specific antibodies in clinical samples of dogs living in a highly endemic region of Lithuania and to evaluate the main risk factors for severe disease course and death. The blood samples (n = 473) of dogs were collected in two veterinary clinics in central Lithuania. Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) RNA was detected in 18.6% (88/473; CI 95% 15.2-22.4) and TBEV-specific antibodies were found in 21.6% (102/473; CI 95% 17.9-25.6) of dog blood serum samples after confirmation with a

SUBMITTER: Simkute E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10674385 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature