How a new rapid PCR test detects Ehrlichia canis in infected dogs

Abstract

A novel in-clinic point-of-care (ICPOC) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was evaluated for its ability to detect Ehrlichia canis DNA in artificially infected dogs compared to a real-time PCR assay. Six Beagle dogs negative for E. canis antibodies and PCR negative were artificially infected with an Israeli E. canis strain (611). All dogs developed IgG antibodies 8 days post infection (PI), and clinical and hematological abnormalities on day 10 PI. Only the real-time PCR detected E. canis DNA in the blood of five dogs at days 3 and 5 PI. At day 12 PI during the acute phase of the disease, 1 day after the initiation of doxycycline treatment, the ICPOC PCR assay detected E. canis DNA in all infected dogs, which were also positive by the real-time PCR. Two days later the ICPOC PCR assay was able to detect only 3/6 infected dogs, which were all positive by the real-time PCR. At days 17 and 19 PI, the ICPOC PCR assay did not detect E. canis DNA in the dogs while the real-time PCR detected all dogs as positive on day 17 PI and two dogs on day 19 PI. In conclusion, the sensitivity of the ICPOC PCR assay was 75% for the acute phase of the disease and 30% for the whole study, suggesting that this ICPOC assay has a potential utility for the diagnosis of acute canine monocytic ehrlichiosis.