Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ehrlichia chaffeensis infection causing lethargy and blood in urine
By Yu, Do-Hyeon et al.·Published in Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.)·2008·Department of Veterinary Internal Medicine, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Ehrlichia chaffeensis infection in dogs in South Korea.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old male American Pit Bull Terrier and a 3-year-old male Shih Tzu in South Korea were diagnosed with a serious infection caused by Ehrlichia chaffeensis, which can lead to canine ehrlichiosis. The Pit Bull showed signs of lethargy and had reddish urine, while the Shih Tzu had noticeable bruising and bleeding due to low platelet counts. Both dogs were tested using a special DNA test that confirmed the presence of the bacteria. This is the first report of such infections in dogs in South Korea, highlighting the need for awareness and prevention of tick-borne diseases.
People also search for: dog lethargy and reddish urine · Shih Tzu bruising · Ehrlichia chaffeensis treatment in dogs
Abstract
Ehrlichia chaffeensis is one of the causative agents of canine ehrlichiosis and human monocytic ehrlichiosis (HME). Canine ehrlichiosis caused by E. chaffeensis was diagnosed in two dogs in South Korea based on clinical findings, and the diagnosis was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. A 5-year-old intact male American Pit bull terrier allowed outdoors was found to be concurrently infected with Babesia gibsoni and E. chaffeensis. The major clinical findings were lethargy and reddish urine, and laboratory analysis revealed severe hematuria and thrombocytopenia. In addition, a 3-year-old neutered male Shih-tzu was also found to be infected with E. chaffeensis. Although this dog was an indoor companion animal, he was frequently allowed outside for exercise. The clinical signs observed in this dog included generalized purpura with petechiae and ecchymoses due to thrombocytopenia. A 390-bp partial portion of E. chaffeensis 16S rRNA gene was amplified in both cases, and nucleotide sequence analysis revealed 99% homology of this fragment with other E. chaffeensis isolates. These findings demonstrate the presence of E. chaffeensis infection in dogs in South Korea, and this is the first report to confirm clinical cases of E. chaffeensis infection in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18399775/