Canine babesiosis outbreak under control – but needs monitoring

Scientists at the University of Liverpool are using the health records of dogs to monitor the status of a potentially fatal tick-borne disease that appears to have been imported into the UK. Canine babesiosis is transmitted to dogs by infected ticks, with symptoms including a lack of appetite, fever and jaundice. Although normally only found in mainland Europe, in February 2016 three cases of Babesia were reported at one Essex veterinary practice in dogs that had not travelled abroad. The outbreak was widely reported in the national media, with concern raised that the disease could soon affect dogs elsewhere in the country. Data analysis A team from the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET), which is as a partnership between the University of Liverpool and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association, used electronic health records and laboratory data to assess the risk of this emerging disease in the UK. Using data from 2015, they analysed cases of reported tick bites and Babesia in dogs from 392 volunteer veterinary premises across the UK. Published in the Veterinary Record , the analysis revealed a low background level of Babesia infection in the UK.