Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Comparing blood tests to diagnose Ehrlichia canis infection in dogs
By Taques, Isis I G G et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2020·Veterinary Hospital, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Canonical correlative analyses among an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using synthetic peptides, an indirect fluorescent antibody test, and hematologic measurements in dogs infected with Ehrlichia canis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs suspected of having Ehrlichia canis infection (a tick-borne disease) underwent blood tests to check for signs of the illness. Out of 243 dogs, many showed positive reactions to various tests, with the TRP19 peptide test being the most effective for diagnosis. The study found that dogs with this infection often had low platelet counts and anemia. The TRP19 test, along with the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), helped confirm the diagnosis, leading to better treatment options for affected dogs.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Immunoreactive tandem repeat proteins (TRPs) in amino acid sequences were identified and employed in the serologic diagnosis of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME). OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated using TRP19 and TRP36 synthetic protein antigens with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and compared the results with an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) to diagnose CME in the serum of dogs with suspected CME. METHODS: The sera of 243 dogs that exhibited clinical and hematologic signs suggestive of CME had IFATs performed. An ELISA with synthetic TRP19 and TRP36 antigens from two E canis genotypes (USTRP36 and BrTRP36) that circulate in Brazil were also performed. Canonical correlations and chi-square tests were evaluated on the results of these tests. RESULTS: Among the 243 dogs, 179 (73.6%) were reactive at an IFAT ≥ 40, 167 (68.72%) reacted at the cut-off ≥160, and 149 (61.31%) reacted at ≥640. The ELISA revealed that 172 (70.8%) dogs reacted to TRP19 peptide, 163 (67.1%) reacted to USTRP36, and 114 (46.9%) reacted to BrTRP36. The canonical correlation analyses showed that the TRP19 ELISA was the most effective diagnostic method. Serum total protein levels showed strong positive correlations with the USTRP36 peptide. Qualitative analyses revealed an association between the TRP19 peptide and the presence of anemia, thrombocytopenia, and hyperproteinemia. The IFAT results at titers of ≥160 and ≥640 were associated with thrombocytopenia. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicated that the TRP19 peptide was an excellent antigen and that the IFAT was diagnostically important in confirming the diagnosis of CME in serum samples.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33135177/