LAUSR

portuguesBabesiose canina e uma hemoparasitose comum no Brasil. Causada por parasitos do genero Babesia, e transmitida por carrapatos ixodideos e acomete canideos domesticos e silvestres. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a prevalencia molecular da infeccao por Babesia spp. em caes residentes em areas urbanas e rurais do municipio de Cuiaba, estado de Mato Grosso, Brasil, e relacionar os principais fatores associados a infeccao. Para a pesquisa foram avaliados 407 caes usando a PCR. Das 407 amostras analisadas, 10 (2,5%) amplificaram DNA de Babesia spp. Nao foi observada associacao estatistica entre as variaveis pesquisadas (p>0,05), porem observou-se maior positividade em caes com idade inferior a um ano, machos, com livre acesso a rua e com a presenca de carrapatos. Amostras positivas nas PCRs para Babesia spp. foram submetidas a sequenciamento e comparadas no GenBank, mostrando alto grau de similaridade com as sequencias de B. vogeli. EnglishCanine babesiosis is a common haemoparasitosis in Brazil. Caused by parasites of the genus Babesia, it is transmitted by ixodid ticks and affects domestic and wild canids. The objective of this study was to verify the prevalence of Babesia species (spp.) using molecular methods in dogs living in urban and rural areas of Cuiaba, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, and to identify the main factors associated with infection. A total of 407 samples from 407 dogs were evaluated using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, among which Babesia species (spp.) was amplified in 10 (2.5%). Although, no statistical association was found among the variables studied (p>0.05), greater positivity was observed in dogs were submitted to sequencing and compared in GenBank and exhibited a high degree of similarity with Babesia vogeli sequences.