Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
PCR blood test accuracy for diagnosing canine monocytic ehrlichiosis
By Mylonakis, Mathios E et al.·Published in Veterinary microbiology·2009·Aristotle University of Thessaloniki·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of a serum-based PCR assay for the diagnosis of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 38 dogs with a tick-borne disease called canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) was tested for the presence of Ehrlichia canis bacteria using a blood test known as PCR. The test successfully detected the bacteria in 24 of the affected dogs, while all healthy dogs tested negative. This suggests that the PCR test can help diagnose CME early, even before the dog shows high levels of antibodies against the infection. If your dog is showing symptoms of CME, such as lethargy or fever, ask your vet about this PCR test for a quicker diagnosis.
People also search for: dog ehrlichiosis symptoms · PCR test for dog infections · early diagnosis of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis
Abstract
The aim of this study was to estimate the relative diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay in the serum of dogs with naturally occurring non-myelosuppressive canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME), and to investigate the association between PCR positivity and immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) titres for Ehrlichia canis. Serum samples obtained from 38 dogs with non-myelosuppressive CME and 12 healthy dogs were analyzed retrospectively. Each serum sample was analyzed in triplicate using an E. canis-specific nested PCR assay targeting a 389bp sequence of the 16S rRNA gene. E. canis DNA was amplified in 24 of 38 (63.1%) affected dogs; all samples from healthy dogs were negative. A high level of agreement was found among the PCR replicates (P<0.0001). Median IFA titre of the 24 PCR-positive dogs was significantly lower than that of the PCR-negative infected dogs (P=0.0029), indicating that E. canis DNA may circulate prior to the development of a high antibody titre. Serum-based PCR analysis is suggested for the early diagnosis of CME when whole blood samples are not available.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19419823/