Molecular detection of Ehrlichia canisin dogs from the Pantanal of Mato Grosso State, Brazil

Abstract

The present study evaluated the presence of Ehrlichia DNA in the blood samples of 320 dogs from the urban and rural areas of the municipality of Poconé, Pantanal region, Mato Grosso state, by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), targeting the ehrlichial dsb gene. Risk factors for infection in dogs were also evaluated. Forty-eight (15%, 95% CI: 11.4-19.5%) dogs were positive: 25 (15.6%, 95% CI: 10.4-22.2%) from the urban area and 23 (14.4%, 95% CI: 9.3-20.8%) from the rural area (P > 0.05). Partial DNA sequence obtained from PCR products of 18 samples from the urban area and 16 samples from the rural area were 100% identical to E. canis from Brazil and the USA. This study reports the first E. canis molecular detection in dogs from the northern Pantanal region.Keywords: Dogs, tick borne disease, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasmataceae, Poconé, Brazil. ResumoO presente estudo avaliou a presença de DNA de Ehrlichia spp. em 320 cães das áreas urbana e rural do município de Poconé, região do Pantanal de Mato Grosso, pela PCR visando o gene dsb. Os fatores de risco para a infecção em cães também foram avaliados. Quarenta e oito (15%, IC 95%: 11,4-19,5%) cães foram positivos, 25 (15,6%, IC 95%: 10,4-22,2%) da área urbana e 23 (14,37%, 95% CI: 9,3-20,8%) da área rural (P > 0,05). Sequências parciais de DNAs obtidos a partir de produtos da PCR de 18 amostras da área urbana e 16 da área rural foram 100% idênticas a E. canis do Brasil e EUA. Este estudo relata a primeira detecção molecular de E. canis em cães da região norte do Pantanal.

Occurrence of Leishmania chagasi, Trypanosoma cruzi, Babesia canis vogeli, Anaplasma platys, and Ehrlichia canis in canine blood donors

“…Infection with A. platys was detected in six (9.1%) co-infected canines with E. canis. The coinfection of these agents is common, as both use the same vector for infection of the host (SANTOS et al, 2013). The occurrence of these pathogens is similar to that obtained by Witter et al (2013), who studied symptomatic canines within the same area.…”

“…The E. canis infection in canine candidate donors was not associated with gender, breed, street access, and / or tick infestation. Santos et al (2013) also found no predisposition to infection according to gender and breed in a population of canines in Mato Grosso, Pantanal. The transmission of E. canis is directly related to the distribution of the vector (Table 2); however, there was no significant association between the presence of the vector or with access to the street, as described by Silva et al (2010).…”

Survey of Ehrlichia canis, Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon spp. in dogs from a semiarid region of Brazil

“…No correlation has been found between the gender of the dog and disease occurrence by Carvalho et al (2008) and Santos et al (2013). The processes of estrus and parturition that occur in females lead to immune system depression.…”

Ehrlichia canis detection in dogs from Várzea Grande: a comparative analysis of blood and bone marrow samples

“…In epidemiological analyses, the blood sample is easily obtainable and provides good results (SILVA et al, 2012;SANTOS et al, 2013). However, the detection of the agent can decrease at this site with the progression of infection or the treatment of bacteraemia compared to other sites (HARRUS et al, 2004;BANETH et al, 2009) The absence of apparent clinical signs and the long duration of the subclinical stage may hinder the detection of infection (HARRUS & WANER, 2011;WANER & HARRUS, 2013), likely represented in this study by the asymptomatic group.…”