Study on the prevalence of clinical canine babesiosis and ehrlichiosis in Nairobi, Kenya.

Abstract

Canine babesiosis and ehrlichiosis are tick-borne diseases that often cause life-threatening illness in dogs worldwide. Though the diseases are enzootic in Kenya, their prevalence is currently unknown. The respective median prevalence rates for the 24-year period (1987 to 2010) were 1.41% (interquartile range: 1.15, 1.71) for babesiosis and 0.89% (interquartile range: 0.69, 1.29) for ehrlichiosis. Further, a steady decline in the annual prevalence rates was evident for both diseases. No association was observed between annual prevalence rates of either disease and annual rainfall amounts. The results suggest changing patterns in the frequency of canine babesiosis and ehrlichiosis in this geographic setting.