Molecular identification of Cordylobia anthropophaga Blanchard (Diptera: Calliphoridae) larvae collected from dogs (Canis familiaris) in Jos South, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Myiasis-causing larvae were extracted from dogs attending veterinary clinics in Plateau State, Nigeria and subjected to molecular analysis involving polymerase chain reaction amplification of the 28S rRNA gene of blowflies, cloning and sequencing techniques. All larvae were confirmed as Cordylobia anthropophaga Blanchard (Diptera: Calliphoridae) after the initial morphological identification. This is the first molecular identification of any myiasis-causing fly species in Nigeria and may serve as a reliable alternative to morphological identification where samples are not well preserved or difficult to identify to species level.

Babesia canis and Babesia rossi co-infection in an untraveled Nigerian dog.

A sexually intact 6-month-old female Alsatian dog was presented to the Veterinary Clinic of the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria, for the following complaints: anorexia, hemoglobinuria, fever, tick infestation and general malaise. Microscopy revealed piroplasms with a wide range of sizes (1-5 µm in length) in red blood cells, raising a suspicion of a co-infection with two or more Babesia species. Specific PCR assays for canine Babesia spp. and DNA sequencing revealed the presence of Babesia canis and Babesia rossi co-infection. This study constitutes the first report of co-infection with B. canis and B. rossi in the West African sub-region and the first report of autochthonous B. canis on the African continent. Practitioners should be aware of potential changes in the species/sub-species of Babesia causing canine babesiosis in this region.