Parasites & Vectors (Mar 2012)

Vector-Borne Diseases - constant challenge for practicing veterinarians: recommendations from the CVBD World Forum

  • Baneth Gad,
  • Bourdeau Patrick,
  • Bourdoiseau Gilles,
  • Bowman Dwight,
  • Breitschwerdt Edward,
  • Capelli Gioia,
  • Cardoso Luís,
  • Dantas-Torres Filipe,
  • Day Michael,
  • Dedet Jean-Pierre,
  • Dobler Gerhard,
  • Ferrer Lluís,
  • Irwin Peter,
  • Kempf Volkhard,
  • Kohn Babara,
  • Lappin Michael,
  • Little Susan,
  • Maggi Ricardo,
  • Miró Guadalupe,
  • Naucke Torsten,
  • Oliva Gaetano,
  • Otranto Domenico,
  • Penzhorn Banie,
  • Pfeffer Martin,
  • Roura Xavier,
  • Sainz Angel,
  • Shaw Susan,
  • Shin SungShik,
  • Solano-Gallego Laia,
  • Straubinger Reinhard,
  • Traub Rebecca,
  • Trees Alexander,
  • Truyen Uwe,
  • Demonceau Thierry,
  • Fitzgerald Ronan,
  • Gatti Diego,
  • Hostetler Joe,
  • Kilmer Bruce,
  • Krieger Klemens,
  • Mencke Norbert,
  • Mendão Cláudio,
  • Mottier Lourdes,
  • Pachnicke Stefan,
  • Rees Bob,
  • Siebert Susanne,
  • Stanneck Dorothee,
  • Tarancón Mingote Montserrat,
  • von Simson Cristiano,
  • Weston Sarah

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1756-3305-5-55
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 5, no. 1
p. 55

Abstract

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Abstract The human-animal bond has been a fundamental feature of mankind's history for millennia. The first, and strongest of these, man's relationship with the dog, is believed to pre-date even agriculture, going back as far as 30,000 years. It remains at least as powerful today. Fed by the changing nature of the interactions between people and their dogs worldwide and the increasing tendency towards close domesticity, the health of dogs has never played a more important role in family life. Thanks to developments in scientific understanding and diagnostic techniques, as well as changing priorities of pet owners, veterinarians are now able, and indeed expected, to play a fundamental role in the prevention and treatment of canine disease, including canine vector-borne diseases (CVBDs). The CVBDs represent a varied and complex group of diseases, including anaplasmosis, babesiosis, bartonellosis, borreliosis, dirofilariosis, ehrlichiosis, leishmaniosis, rickettsiosis and thelaziosis, with new syndromes being uncovered every year. Many of these diseases can cause serious, even life-threatening clinical conditions in dogs, with a number having zoonotic potential, affecting the human population. Today, CVBDs pose a growing global threat as they continue their spread far from their traditional geographical and temporal restraints as a result of changes in both climatic conditions and pet dog travel patterns, exposing new populations to previously unknown infectious agents and posing unprecedented challenges to veterinarians. In response to this growing threat, the CVBD World Forum, a multidisciplinary group of experts in CVBDs from around the world which meets on an annual basis, gathered in Nice (France) in 2011 to share the latest research on CVBDs and discuss the best approaches to managing these diseases around the world. As a result of these discussions, we, the members of the CVBD Forum have developed the following recommendations to veterinarians for the management of CVBDs.