Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, and Babesia infections in dogs from Ribeirão
By Santos, Flávia et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2009·Unidade de Biotecnologia, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Molecular evaluation of the incidence of Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys and Babesia spp. in dogs from Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs in Brazil with low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia) were tested for infections caused by Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, and Babesia spp. Surprisingly, many of the dogs with low platelet counts were not infected with these pathogens, and some were even healthy. The study found that while Ehrlichia canis was common in dogs with low platelets, a significant number of these dogs had other infections or no infections at all. This highlights the importance of confirming the diagnosis with additional tests before starting antibiotic treatment, to avoid unnecessary medication.
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Abstract
Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis caused by Ehrlichiacanis is endemic in many regions of Brazil. Since thrombocytopenia is a common finding in infected dogs, many clinicians tend to use it as an indication for antibiotic treatment. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nested PCR were used to study the presence of E. canis, Anaplasma platys and Babesia spp. in thrombocytopenic and non-thrombocytopenic dogs from Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. Despite the high prevalence of E. canis infection among thrombocytopenic dogs, 46.7% of the thrombocytopenic dogs studied were either infected with Babesia spp. or A.platys or not infected with any of the three pathogens. There was a high incidence (25.4%) of E. canis infection in non-thrombocytopenic dogs. Although infection with E. canis should be considered in thrombocytopenic dogs, the final diagnosis needs to be confirmed by complementary tests such as blood smears and PCR to avoid the unnecessary use of antibiotics.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17920967/