Hematological values associated to the serological and molecular diagnostic in cats suspected of Ehrlichia canis infection
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Published on: March 17, 2016
Isis Assis Braga1, Luana Gabriela Ferreira dos Santos2, Andréia Lima Tomé Melo1
1Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Faculdade de Agronomia, Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso - UFMT, CuiabáMT, Brasil, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Faculdade de Agronomia, Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso - UFMT, Cuiabá, MT, Brasil.
Insights
This study found Ehrlichia canis infection in 8.6% of cats, with PCR-positive cats showing hematological changes like low red blood cell counts and lymphopenia, indicating ehrlichiosis impacts feline health.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Feline Health
Background:
- Feline ehrlichiosis research is limited, with scarce data on Ehrlichia infection characteristics in cats.
- Understanding Ehrlichia spp. infection prevalence and its hematological impact in cats is crucial for veterinary diagnostics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between Ehrlichia spp. infection and hematological parameters in cats.
- To determine the prevalence of Ehrlichia spp. infection in a feline population in Brazil using molecular and serological methods.
Main Methods:
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) targeting dsb and 16S rRNA genes for Ehrlichia spp. detection.
- Indirect Fluorescence Assay (IFA) for detecting anti-Ehrlichia canis IgG antibodies.
- Analysis of hematological data from 93 cats.
Main Results:
- Ehrlichia canis was identified in 8.6% of cats via PCR, with sequences matching E. canis.
- 45.1% of cats exhibited antibody reactivity to Ehrlichia spp. by IFA.
- PCR-positive cats displayed hematological alterations including reduced erythrocyte count, thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia, and monocytosis.
Conclusions:
- Ehrlichia canis infection is present in cats and associated with specific hematological changes.
- Low erythrocyte counts correlate with higher IgG antibody titers in infected cats.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the clinical significance of ehrlichiosis in felines.
Abstract:
The literature contains several studies on feline ehrlichiosis. However, information about the characteristics of Ehrlichia infection in cats is still scanty. This study evaluated the association between Ehrlichia spp. infection and the hematologic data of 93 cats treated at the Federal University of Mato Grosso Veterinary Hospital in Cuiabá, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The presence of or exposure to Ehrlichia spp. infection was evaluated by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) targeting the dsb and 16S rRNA gene of Ehrlichia, and by detection of anti-Ehrlichia canis IgG antibodies in Indirect Fluorescence Assay (IFA), respectively. Eight (8.6%) cats tested positive by PCR and the partial DNA sequence obtained from PCR products was a 100% match to E. canis. Forty-two (45.1%) cats showed antibody reactivity against Ehrlichia spp. Hematological alterations such as low erythrocyte count, thrombocytopenia, lymphopenia and monocytosis were observed in PCR positive cats. Among them, low erythrocyte counts were associated with IgG antibody titers of 40 to 640 and five cats also tested positive by PCR. Furthermore, PCR-positive cats showed a tendency to be lymphopenic. No correlation was found between age and sex, and no ticks were observed in any of the examined cats.
