Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Tick-borne Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis found in dogs and foxes
By Hofmann-Lehmann, R et al.·Published in Schweizer Archiv fur Tierheilkunde·2016·Vetsuisse Faculty·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Detection of 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis' and other Anaplasmataceae and Rickettsiaceae in Canidae in Switzerland and Mediterranean countries.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 12-year-old West Highland white terrier in Zurich was brought to the vet because it was drinking and urinating more than usual. After some tests, the dog was found to have a tick-borne infection called 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis,' which can affect dogs, especially those with weakened immune systems. The dog had also undergone spleen removal three months earlier and was diagnosed with Fanconi syndrome, a condition that affects kidney function. While this specific infection is rare, the vet treated the dog for its symptoms, and it’s important for pet owners to be aware of tick-borne diseases, especially in sick or immunocompromised pets.
People also search for: dog drinking a lot and urinating · West Highland white terrier kidney disease · tick-borne disease in dogs
Abstract
'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis' is an emerging tick-borne zoonotic agent that primarily affects immunocompromised human patients. Dogs and foxes are frequently exposed to ticks, and both species are in close proximity to humans. This is the first study to systematically investigate the occurrence of 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis' in Canidae in Europa. We analyzed 1'739 blood samples from dogs in Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Portugal and 162 blood samples from free-ranging red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Switzerland. All samples were tested using a previously described multiplex real-time PCR for the Anaplasmataceae family, the 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia' genus and the 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis' species. All Anaplasmataceae positive samples were subsequently tested using specific real-time PCRs for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma platys, Ehrlichia canis and Rickettsia helvetica. Among the tested animals, one dog from Zurich tested positive for 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis'. The 12-year old West Highland white terrier had been splenectomized 3 months prior to the blood collection and presented with polyuria/polydipsia. Fanconi syndrome was diagnosed based on glucosuria with normoglycemia and hyperaminoaciduria. A. platys and E. canis were detected in 14/249 dogs from Sicily and Portugal; two of the dogs were coinfected with both agents. Four Swiss foxes tested positive for A. phagocytophilium. R. helvetica was detected for the first time in a red fox. In conclusion, 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis' infection should be considered in sick dogs, particularly when immunocompromised. The pathogen seems not to be widespread in Canidae in the investigated countries. Conversely, other Anaplasmataceae were more readily detected in dogs and foxes.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27707682/