Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
CRP and TNF-alpha levels in dogs with ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis
By Gospodinova, Krasimira & Koev, Koycho·Published in Open veterinary journal·2025·Department of General and Clinical Pathology·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of serum levels of CRP and TNF-α in dogs infected withand.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with tick-borne infections called canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) and canine granulocytic anaplasmosis (CGA) showed signs of illness, including low platelet counts and liver enzyme changes. Blood tests revealed that dogs infected with both diseases had the highest levels of inflammation markers, C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), compared to those with only one infection or no infection. These markers can help veterinarians assess the severity of the illness and monitor liver health. Treatment typically involves antibiotics and supportive care, and many dogs can recover with prompt veterinary attention.
People also search for: dog tick-borne disease symptoms · canine ehrlichiosis treatment · elevated liver enzymes in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) and canine granulocytic anaplasmosis (CGA), caused byand, are tick-borne diseases prevalent in dogs. Both trigger systemic inflammation, with C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) as potential severity biomarkers. AIM: This study aimed to compare serum CRP and TNF-α in CME, CGA, and co-infected dogs and assess their relationships with hematological, biochemical, and liver enzyme changes. METHODS: In 134 dogs showing clinical signs of CME/CGA, infections were confirmed using SNAP4DxPlus, indirect immunofluorescence assay, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). CRP and TNF-α were quantified using canine-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. RESULTS: Of the dogs tested, 112 (83.6%) were seropositive and 77 (68.8%) were PCR-positive (: 27;: 29; co-infection: 21). The co-infected group had the highest levels of CRP (135.2-154.8 mg/l) and TNF-α (161.5-174.0 pg/ml), significantly exceeding those of CME (104.6-120.9; 148.7-162.2 pg/ml), CGA (88.5-104.4; 140.1-156.5 pg/ml), PCR-negative (33.1-45.8; 12.3-18.9 pg/ml), and control groups (0.9-4.0; 0.2-2.3 pg/ml) with< 0.001. Thrombocytopenia was common in all infected groups, with the lowest platelet counts in co-infected dogs (median 106.0 × 10/L,< 0.001). Aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were significantly elevated only in co-infected dogs (ALT: 89.25 U/l; AST: 69.38 U/l;< 0.001). CRP correlated moderately with ALT/AST; TNF-α showed weaker positive associations. CONCLUSION: CRP and TNF-α are valuable indicators of systemic inflammation in CME and CGA, with maximal increases and stronger links to liver injury in co-infections, supporting their use in diagnosis and prognosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41200347/