{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T02:58:23Z","timestamp":1760151503562,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,23]],"date-time":"2022-03-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1647993600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Dogs are proved to be competent reservoir hosts for several vector-borne pathogens. Their prevalence varies according to the geographical area. Many vector-borne pathogens may be transmitted by blood transfusion. The purpose of this study was to determine the serological and molecular prevalence of some vector-borne pathogens in dog blood donors, living in central Italy. Blood samples of 126 donors (19 breeds) included were tested for a broad serological and DNA-base tests panel. The differences in pathogen prevalence according to age, sex, and breeds were tested (chi-square test, Fisher\u2019s exact test). Overall, 50 animals (39.7%) tested positive at PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and\/or serology (IFAT, indirect fluorescent antibody test) for at least one pathogen. Three dogs were positive at both serology and PCR. A tendency of hemoplasmas to be more prevalent in older dogs (41.2%) compared to the younger ones (25.7%) was noted. We highlight the difficulties of selecting healthy blood donor dogs in an endemic area for vector-borne infections. It is important to choose the serological and biomolecular investigations panel that is most suited to the donor\u2019s environment. Close collaboration between clinician and parasitologists is important in the interpretation of IFAT and PCR results. Finally, we underline the important role of blood donors as an epidemiological tool for active surveillance against canine vector-borne diseases.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani12070817","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,23]],"date-time":"2022-03-23T12:20:25Z","timestamp":1648038025000},"page":"817","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Looking for Dog Blood Donors in an Endemic Area for Vector-Borne Infections of Central Italy"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Maria Teresa","family":"Antognoni","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Via San Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, PG, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4537-4386","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marta","family":"Vascellari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell\u2019Universit\u00e0 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4935-0349","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Graziana","family":"Da Rold","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell\u2019Universit\u00e0 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Federica","family":"Toniolo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell\u2019Universit\u00e0 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sofia","family":"Sgubin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell\u2019Universit\u00e0 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2852-3842","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Claudia","family":"Zanardello","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell\u2019Universit\u00e0 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Antonio","family":"Carminato","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell\u2019Universit\u00e0 10, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5459-6298","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Arianna","family":"Miglio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Via San Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, PG, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"274","DOI":"10.1136\/vr.f1497","article-title":"Blood Donation by Dogs in Shelters","volume":"172","author":"Mutinelli","year":"2013","journal-title":"Vet. 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