Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Rickettsia massiliae infection in dogs from California tick outbreak
By Beeler, Emily et al.·Published in The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene·2011·Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A focus of dogs and Rickettsia massiliae-infected Rhipicephalus sanguineus in California.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Two dogs in southern California were suspected of having Rocky Mountain spotted fever after showing signs of illness. Investigators found a large number of ticks on the property and confirmed that these ticks carried Rickettsia massiliae, a bacteria linked to the disease. Blood tests showed that all four dogs tested had antibodies against this bacteria, indicating exposure, but no active infection was found in their blood. This case highlights the importance of tick control to prevent diseases in pets.
People also search for: dog Rocky Mountain spotted fever symptoms · tick prevention for dogs · Rickettsia massiliae in dogs
Abstract
A recurrent focus of Rhipicephalus sanguineus infestation was investigated in a suburban area of southern California after reports of suspected Rocky Mountain spotted fever in two dogs on the same property. Abundant quantities of Rh. sanguineus were collected on the property and repeatedly from each dog, and Rickettsia massiliae DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Whole blood and serum samples from four dogs were tested by using PCR and microimmunofluorescent assay for antibodies against spotted fever group rickettsiae. Serum samples from all four dogs contained antibodies reactive with R. massiliae, R. rhipicephali, R. rickettsii, and 364D Rickettsia but no rickettsial DNA was detected by PCR of blood samples. Serum cross-absorption and Western blot assays implicated R. massiliae as the most likely spotted fever group rickettsiae responsible for seropositivity. To our knowledge, this is the first detection of R. massiliae in ticks in California.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21292893/