Clinical Observations, Hematological Profile, Serological Testing, and Molecular Detection of Ehrlichia canis in Veterinary Clinics in Bali, Indonesia

Abstract

Ticks of Rhipicephalus species can serve as a vector for transmitting the Zoonotic Ehrlichiosis disease from dogs to humans. In Indonesia, epidemiological data on the prevalence of Ehrlichia canis are very limited. The incidence of Ehrlichiosis is usually reported based on clinical symptoms and serological results. In contrast, accurate diagnosis mainly relies on microscopic examination of a stained blood smear and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The present study was conducted to evaluate the correlations among clinical observations, hematological profile, serological testing, and molecular detection of E. canis in dogs examined at different animal clinics in Bali, Indonesia. We collected 109 samples from Ehrlichiosis suspected dogs. The disease in these dogs was confirmed through a hematological profile, serologically, and PCR test. The hematological examination was per­formed with ICUBIO iCell-800Vet. We did a serological examination with Rapid Test BioNote© E. canis. DNA extraction was carried out with DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit product Qiagen. PCR amplification was performed with Personal Thermal Cycler MJ Mini BIO-RAD. The results revealed that clinical signs such as epistaxis, fever, and pale mucous membranes were strongly associated with serological detection of E. canis. In contrast, none of these signs was significantly correlated with PCR detection of E. canis. Total erythrocytes counts were significantly associated with serologic detection. The total erythrocytes, thrombocytes, and hemoglobin levels were significantly associated with PCR detection. The 16S-rDNA, collected from PCR and amplified, showed the E. canis gene, indicating that E. canis organisms were found in Bali. E canis Bali is one cluster with clusters from South America, Europe, and Asian countries like Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, and Israel. In conclusion, E. canis infection was confirmed through clinical, serological, and molecular approaches in dogs in Bali, Indonesia.