No PCR or serologic evidence of exposure of Alaskan sled dogs to Bartonella spp. bacteria

Abstract The Bartonella spp. are a genus of zoonotic, endotheliotropic and intraerythrocytic Gram-negative bacteria with a presumed worldwide distribution. They cause disease in humans (notably “cat scratch disease) and in animals. These bacteria can be transmitted by bites, scratches, or arthropod vector. In dogs, Bartonella spp. most often causes endocardial disease, which can result in an audible heart murmur. Currently very little is known about Bartonella in Alaska, and nothing is known of its status in Alaskan dogs. We surveyed a population of 75 Interior Alaskan sled dogs (Alaska huskies) for the presence of, or evidence of exposure to, Bartonella spp. bacteria via PCR and serology. We did not detect either the DNA of, or antibodies produced in response to Bartonella in our sampled dog population. While we did not detect presence of this disease at this time in Alaska, continued monitoring should occur as its distribution may shift with a changing climate.