Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Puppies under 28 days testing positive for Anaplasma platys infection
By Matei, I A et al.·Published in Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)·2017·Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Neonatal Anaplasma platys infection in puppies: Further evidence for possible vertical transmission.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Five puppies under 28 days old were found to have a blood infection caused by Anaplasma platys, which can lead to a condition called infectious canine cyclic thrombocytopenia. This infection is usually mild and often goes unnoticed, but it raises concerns about whether the puppies might have contracted it from their mother rather than through ticks, which is the usual way the disease spreads. In this study, no older puppies tested positive, suggesting that the younger ones may have been infected before birth or through nursing. Understanding this transmission could help in managing the health of puppies and their mothers.
People also search for: puppy blood infection · Anaplasma platys in puppies · how do puppies get sick from mom · infectious canine cyclic thrombocytopenia symptoms
Abstract
Anaplasma platys, the aetiological agent of infectious canine cyclic thrombocytopaenia, infects platelets of dogs, usually causing mild or asymptomatic disease. Although A. platys is transmitted by ticks, as for other Anaplasma species, alternative modes of transmission may be involved. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the occurrence of A. platys infection in litters of puppies, which could suggest possible vertical transmission. Twelve litters, together with the respective bitches, were included in the study for the detection of A. platys DNA by PCR, followed by sequencing. Five puppies, from 2/4 litters <28 days of age, tested positive for A. platys DNA. No puppies from eight litters 1-3 months of age tested positive for A. platys DNA. The identical sequences (16S rRNA and gltA partial gene), the absence of ticks on puppies at the time of collection and the young age of the five infected puppies suggest vertical transmission of A. platys. This mode of transmission might contribute to the maintenance and spread of the pathogen in canine populations.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28093109/