Abstract
Abstract The aim of the present study was to estimate the occurrence of Ehrlichia canis in cats from the semiarid region of Northeast of Brazil. Sera of 101 healthy cats were submitted by Indirect Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA), and considered positive when antibody titers ≥ 40 were obtained. Seroprevalence of 35.6% (36/101) was found, with the following titers: 40 (15 animals); 160 (6); 320 (1); 640 (3), and 2,560 (11). No statistical differences were observed when comparing county of origin, gender, age, breed, and modus vivendi (pet and stray cats), and no ticks were observed in any of the cats. This study revealed exposure to E. canis in cats of the Semiarid Northeast of Brazil.
Highlights
Ehrlichia sp. is a gram-negative, pleomorphic, obligate intracellular bacteria, belonging to Anaplasmataceae family, Rickettsiales order, that affects leukocytes and thrombocytes, and potentiallyCienc. anim. bras., Goiânia, v.17, n.3, p. 418-424 jul./set. 2016 infects a large variety of mammal species[1]
The aim of the present study was to estimate the occurrence of Ehrlichia canis in cats from the semiarid region of Northeast of Brazil
This cross-sectional study was conducted in the counties of Juazeiro, Bahia State (BA) (9o 24’42”S; 40° 29’ 55” W) and Petrolina, Pernambuco State (PE) (9o 23’55”S, 40° 30’ 3” W), semiarid tropical weather and Caatinga biome region
Summary
Ehrlichia sp. is a gram-negative, pleomorphic, obligate intracellular bacteria, belonging to Anaplasmataceae family, Rickettsiales order, that affects leukocytes and thrombocytes, and potentiallyCienc. anim. bras., Goiânia, v.17, n.3, p. 418-424 jul./set. 2016 infects a large variety of mammal species[1]. In Brazil, the first report was in 1998, by hematoscopy, through morulae observation of Ehrlichia sp. In leukocytes of a cat with clinical signs similar to those described in dogs with this disease[6]. Has been described in wild and domestic felids in various regions of the world, through hematoscopy, serology, and molecular techniques, feline ehrlichiosis being caused especially by E. canis[7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16]. Most surveys regarding E. canis occur in dogs and the reports about its occurrence in cats still remain scarce[4]
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