Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 8, 2026

DNA Fingerprinting of Mycobacterium leprae Strains Using Variable Number Tandem Repeat VNTR - Fragment Length Analysis FLA
09:39

DNA Fingerprinting of Mycobacterium leprae Strains Using Variable Number Tandem Repeat VNTR - Fragment Length Analysis FLA

Published on: July 15, 2011

27.8K

Molecular Characterization of Tandem Repeat Protein 36 Gene of Ehrlichia canis Detected in Naturally Infected Dogs

Joseph Geiger1, Bridget A Morton2,3, Elton Jose Rosas Vasconcelos3

  • 1Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California.

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
|June 27, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Ehrlichia canis, a pathogen primarily affecting dogs, was detected in Peruvian dogs, revealing novel strains. These strains are closely related to a zoonotic strain found in humans, posing a potential public health risk.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Ehrlichia spp. are emerging infectious pathogens with increasing prevalence in the Americas.
  • Ehrlichia canis, a canine parasite, has been confirmed to infect humans in several Latin American countries.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the presence and genetic diversity of Ehrlichia canis in domestic dogs from urban areas in Peru.
  • To evaluate the phylogenetic relationship of Peruvian E. canis strains with known human and canine isolates.

Main Methods:

  • Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect E. canis DNA in dog blood samples.
  • Phylogenetic analysis was performed using the Tandem Repeat Protein 36 (TRP36) gene, validated against 16S rRNA and heat shock protein genes.
  • Shannon's entropy bioinformatic approach was employed for gene analysis.

Main Results:

  • E. canis DNA was detected in 13.7% of 205 dogs sampled in Peru.
  • Three unique and novel E. canis strains were identified among the Peruvian isolates.
  • Peruvian strains showed close genetic similarity to a zoonotic E. canis strain found in human blood bank samples in Costa Rica.

Conclusions:

  • This study identifies novel Ehrlichia canis strains in Peruvian dogs, some closely related to a zoonotic strain.
  • The findings highlight the potential public health concern of E. canis transmission from chronically infected dogs to humans.
  • Further research is warranted to understand the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of E. canis in Peru.

More Related Videos

Detection of Horizontal Gene Transfer Mediated by Natural Conjugative Plasmids in E. coli06:56

Detection of Horizontal Gene Transfer Mediated by Natural Conjugative Plasmids in E. coli

Published on: March 24, 2023

7.0K
Tandem Affinity Purification of Protein Complexes from Eukaryotic Cells11:30

Tandem Affinity Purification of Protein Complexes from Eukaryotic Cells

Published on: January 26, 2017

15.6K

Related Concept Videos

Molecular Chaperones and Protein Folding03:00

Molecular Chaperones and Protein Folding

The native conformation of a protein is formed by interactions between the side chains of its constituent amino acids. When the amino acids cannot form these interactions, the protein cannot fold by itself and needs chaperones. Notably, chaperones do not relay any additional information required for the folding of polypeptides; the native conformation of a protein is determined solely by its amino acid sequence. Chaperones catalyze protein folding without being a part of the folded protein.
The...
19.9K
Molecular Chaperones and Protein Folding03:00

Molecular Chaperones and Protein Folding

15.1K
Proteins: From Genes to Degradation02:11

Proteins: From Genes to Degradation

Within a biological system, the DNA encodes the RNA, and the nucleotide sequence in the RNA further defines the amino acid sequence in the protein. This is referred to as “The Central Dogma of Molecular Biology” - a term coined by Francis Crick.  Central dogma is a firm principle in biology that defines the flow of genetic information within any life form. The two fundamental steps in central dogma are - transcription and translation.
Transcription is the synthesis of RNA...
14.5K
Proteins: From Genes to Degradation02:11

Proteins: From Genes to Degradation

4.5K
Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience,...
22.4K
What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.
129.6K