Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Blood test results linked to Ehrlichia canis infection in cats
By Braga, Isis Assis et al.·Published in Revista brasileira de parasitologia veterinaria = Brazilian journal of veterinary parasitology : Orgao Oficial do Colegio Brasileiro de Parasitologia Veterinaria·2013·Programa de Pó·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Hematological values associated to the serological and molecular diagnostic in cats suspected of Ehrlichia canis infection.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 93 cats suspected of having Ehrlichia canis infection were tested for the disease using blood tests and DNA analysis. About 8.6% of the cats tested positive for the infection, while 45.1% showed signs of exposure through antibodies. Cats that were positive for the infection had low red blood cell counts, low platelet counts, and other blood abnormalities. The study found that these cats did not have any visible ticks, and there was no link between the infection and the cats' age or sex. Treatment details were not specified, but identifying the infection can help guide appropriate care.
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Abstract
The literature contains several studies on feline ehrlichiosis. However, information about the characteristics of Ehrlichia infection in cats is still scanty. This study evaluated the association between Ehrlichia spp. infection and the hematologic data of 93 cats treated at the Federal University of Mato Grosso Veterinary Hospital in Cuiabá, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The presence of or exposure to Ehrlichia spp. infection was evaluated by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) targeting the dsb and 16S rRNA gene of Ehrlichia, and by detection of anti-Ehrlichia canis IgG antibodies in Indirect Fluorescence Assay (IFA), respectively. Eight (8.6%) cats tested positive by PCR and the partial DNA sequence obtained from PCR products was a 100% match to E. canis. Forty-two (45.1%) cats showed antibody reactivity against Ehrlichia spp. Hematological alterations such as low erythrocyte count, thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia and monocytosis were observed in PCR positive cats. Among them, low erythrocyte counts were associated with IgG antibody titers of 40 to 640 and five cats also tested positive by PCR. Furthermore, PCR-positive cats showed a tendency to be lymphopenic. No correlation was found between age and sex, and no ticks were observed in any of the examined cats.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24473870/