Vector-borne diseases: A pan-African program to control infections in dogs and cats is launched

A comprehensive surveillance program for vector-borne transmission of infectious diseases in dogs and cats has just been launched by the African Small Companion Animal Network (Afscan), a pan-African network established by the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) five years ago. This initiative aims to provide new data on the prevalence and distribution of these diseases in six countries in sub-Saharan Africa.   This research project offers African pet veterinarians an opportunity to build a database on vector-borne diseases in dogs and cats in Africa, some of which are zoonotic diseases. It will provide them with a map of the distribution of vectors and diseases, offering practitioners a valuable tool for controlling and preventing these infections in their countries. A team of six veterinary parasitologists has been assembled in the participating countries: Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Namibia, Tanzania, and Uganda. During 2019, each country will provide samples collected from 100 dogs and 50 cats in urban and rural areas located in two different geographic regions. Sample collection will be combined with a local rabies vaccination campaign and an ectoparasite prevention campaign supervised by the six coordinating veterinarians. The collected ectoparasites and arthropods will be identified, and multiplex PCR analysis will be used to identify the DNA of microparasites present in the parasites and in blood samples from each infested animal. The seroprevalence of the infection will also be determined. The study will produce an extensive database and a valuable biobank of samples for future research. Laboratory analyses will be centralized by the South Africa-based research organization Clinvet . The WSAVA’s Afscan initiative, which has been operating in Africa for five years, aims to advance standards of veterinary care through veterinary training and by facilitating the creation of a sustainable network of veterinarians, associations, and groups of pet specialists in sub-Saharan Africa. The infection surveillance program for dogs and cats, launched in Tanzania on December 5, 2018, is expected to roll out throughout 2019.