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- Title
Prevalence of Ehrlichia canis infection in thrombocytopenic dogs from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Authors
Macieira, Daniel de Barros; Messick, Joanne Belle; Cerqueira, Aloysio de Mello Figueiredo; Freire, Isabel Maria Alexandre; Linhares, Guido Fontgalland Coelho; Almeida, Núbia Karla de Oliveira; Almosny, Nádia Regina Pereira
- Abstract
Background: Infection with Ehrlichia canis causes a highly variable, multisystemic disease in dogs. Nevertheless, many clinicians in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, use the presence of only thrombocytopenia to make a presumptive diagnosis of E canis infection. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of E canis in thrombocytopenic dogs from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Methods: Following DNA extraction of whole blood samples from 226 dogs, PCR assays were done using primers for rickettsial DNA (including Ehrlichia spp, Anaplasma platys and A phagocytophilum) and using E canis-specific primers (16S rRNA gene). Dogs were grouped as thrombocytopenic and nonthrombocytopenic based on platelet counts. The null hypothesis that there was no difference in the prevalence of E canis in these groups was rejected at P < .05. Results: Thirty-six (32.1%) of the thrombocytopenic dogs and 4 (3.5%) of the nonthrombocytopenic dogs were positive for rickettsial gene sequences ( P < .0001). Further, 30 (26.8%) of thrombocytopenic dogs and 4 (3.5%) nonthrombocytopenic dogs were positive for E canis-specific gene sequences ( P < .0001). Conclusions: Although the prevalence of E canis infection was higher in thrombocytopenic dogs, less than one third of these dogs had demonstrable E canis infection. Thus, thrombocytopenia is not specific for the detection of E canis infection and should not be used solely to establish a diagnosis of canine ehrlichiosis, even in a geographic area with relatively high disease prevalence.
- Publication
Veterinary Clinical Pathology, 2005, Vol 34, Issue 1, p44
- ISSN
0275-6382
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1939-165X.2005.tb00008.x