Canine and human health are at significant risk from insect-borne (sandfly and mosquito) zoonotic diseases such as leishmaniasis, dirofilariasis, and acanthocheilonemiasis. The objective of this study was to utilize PCR and sequencing on 500 asymptomatic canines in the provinces of Kars, Ardahan, and Iğdır in the Northeast Anatolia Region of Türkiye to examine the prevalence and molecular characterization of Dirofilaria spp., Acanthocheilonema (A.) reconditum, and Leishmania spp. Examination of dog blood samples from randomly selected focal areas was undertaken using the conventional PCR method. The molecular prevalence of these parasitic pathogens and the correlation between sex, age, breed and habitat of dogs were ascertained by employing the Pearson Chi-Square Test. The overall prevalence of D. immitis was 5% (25/500), while the PCR detected DNAs in dogs in Kars, Ardahan, and Iğdır at 6.08% (CI: 3.53-9.73), 4.03% (CI: 1.55-8.61), and 4.10% (CI: 1.73-8.27), respectively. Portions of the target genes amplified from positive samples were sequenced to confirm the PCR results. The outcomes were aligned with additional sequences in the NCBI database using BLAST search. Using the Bayesian Inference method with 2 million generations (MCMC criteria: 50,000 burn-in-length), phylogenetic trees were reconstructed using MrBayes v3.2.6. Furthermore, this study did not detect Leishmania spp., D. repens and A. reconditum DNAs. Knowing the existence and prevalence of insect-borne pathogens in dogs is most important and necessary for establishing a treatment protocol and determining protection and control measures.

To Cite This Article: Aydin N, Olmez N, Sari B, Vatansever Z, Tasci GT, Kiziltepe S and Yigit M, 2025. Molecular Characterization of Insect-Borne (Mosquito-Sandfly) Parasitic Pathogens of Dogs in Selected Regions of Northeast Anatolia, Türkiye. Pak Vet J. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2025.112