Bartonella Seroepidemiology in Dogs from North America, 2008–2014

Background Improved understanding of Bartonella species seroepidemiology in dogs may aid clinical decision making and enhance current understanding of naturally occurring arthropod vector transmission of this pathogen. Objectives To identify demographic groups in which Bartonella exposure may be more likely, describe spatiotemporal variations in Bartonella seroreactivity, and examine co‐exposures to other canine vector‐borne diseases (CVBD). Animals A total of 15,451 serology specimens from dogs in North America were submitted to the North Carolina State University, College of Veterinary Medicine Vector Borne Disease Diagnostic Laboratory between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2014. Methods Bartonella henselae, Bartonella koehlerae, and Bartonella vinsonii subspecies berkhoffii indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) serology results, as well as results from a commercial assay kit screening for Dirofilaria immitis antigen and Ehrlichia species, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies, and Ehrlichia canis, Babesia canis, Babesia gibsoni, and Rickettsia species IFA results were reviewed retrospectively. Results Overall, 3.26% of dogs were Bartonella spp. seroreactive; B. henselae (2.13%) and B. koehlerae (2.39%) were detected more frequently than B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii (1.42%, P