Hepatozoon canis commonly infects dogs in warm and temperate regions of Africa, Southern Europe (like Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Greece), the Middle East, Asia, and also in the USA, reflecting the geographical distribution of its major vector, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Brown Dog tick). Further tick vectors are Ixodes canisuga and presumably also Haemaphysalis longicornis and H. flava.

A separate species (Hepatozoon americanum) is transmitted by the tick Amblyomma maculatum in the Southern USA.

Hepatozoon canis is commonly associated with other diseases as co-infection, in particular
ehrlichiosis, leishmaniosis and babesiosis in endemic areas, and clinical presentations are variable.

Further information

• Shaw, S.E. et al.: Tick-borne infectious diseases of dogs. Trends Parasitol., 17, 2001, 74-80 (Download)
• Baneth, G.: Hepatozoonosis. In: Arthropod-borne Diseases. BSAVA Congress, Birmingham, Scientific Proceedings, 2002 (Download)