Abstract
Ehrlichiosis is a disease caused by rickettsial organisms belonging to the genus Ehrlichia. In Brazil, molecular and serological studies have evaluated the occurrence of Ehrlichia species in dogs, cats, wild animals and humans. Ehrlichia canis is the main species found in dogs in Brazil, although E. ewingii infection has been recently suspected in five dogs. Ehrlichia chaffeensis DNA has been detected and characterized in mash deer, whereas E. muris and E. ruminantium have not yet been identified in Brazil. Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis caused by E. canis appears to be highly endemic in several regions of Brazil, however prevalence data are not available for several regions. Ehrlichia canis DNA also has been detected and molecularly characterized in three domestic cats, and antibodies against E. canis were detected in free-ranging Neotropical felids. There is serological evidence suggesting the occurrence of human ehrlichiosis in Brazil but its etiologic agent has not yet been established. Improved molecular diagnostic resources for laboratory testing will allow better identification and characterization of ehrlichial organisms associated with human ehrlichiosis in Brazil.
Highlights
Ehrlichia are Gram-negative, pleomorphic, obligate intracellular bacteria that infect a wide range of mammals
The genus initially included 10 species classified based on the host cell infected: monocytes (E. canis, E. risticii, E. sennetsu), granulocytes (E. ewingii, E. equi, E. phagocytophila, human granulocytic ehrlichiosis [HGE] agent), and thrombocytes (E. platys)
E. canis infecting dogs is mainly transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus (DANTAS-TORRES, 2008), E. ruminantium by ticks of genus Amblyomma, E. chaffeensis and E. ewingii by A. americanum and Dermacentor variabilis (DUMLER et al, 2001; YABSLEY, 2010), and E. muris by Haemaphysalis flava and Ixodes persulcatus (INOKUMA et al, 2007)
Summary
Ehrlichia are Gram-negative, pleomorphic, obligate intracellular bacteria that infect a wide range of mammals. E. canis infecting dogs is mainly transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus (DANTAS-TORRES, 2008), E. ruminantium (cattle) by ticks of genus Amblyomma, E. chaffeensis (deer) and E. ewingii (human and dogs) by A. americanum and Dermacentor variabilis (DUMLER et al, 2001; YABSLEY, 2010), and E. muris (rodents) by Haemaphysalis flava and Ixodes persulcatus (INOKUMA et al, 2007). Other tick species, such as A. cajennense, have been suspected to act as vectors of E. canis in rural areas (COSTA JR et al, 2007). This is a review of recent studies on the occurrence of Ehrlichia species in domestic and wild animals, ticks and humans in Brazil
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