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Ehrlichiosis and Rickettsiosis in a Canine Population of Northern Sardinia
Author(s) -
COCCO R.,
SANNA G.,
CILLARA M. G.,
TOLA S.,
XIMENES L.,
PINNAPARPAGLIA M. L.,
MASALA G.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2003.tb07350.x
Subject(s) - rickettsiosis , seroprevalence , ehrlichiosis , serology , rickettsia rickettsii , tick , canis , population , indirect immunofluorescence , medicine , antibody , biology , immunology , virology , spotted fever , rickettsia , virus , environmental health , ecology
A bstract : Ehrlichiosis and rickettsiosis are very common, widespread diseases. These diseases are present in Sardinia year round because its temperate weather permits the survival of many kinds of tick vectors. A thousand dogs were subjected to physical, hematological, biochemical examinations and serological tests. All 1,000 sera were analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence antibody test to detect antibodies against E. canis and R. rickettsii . A high seroprevalence (about 50%) was detected for both etiological agents, without differences in relation to sex, breed, or usage. A high seroprevalence, corresponding to 62.5% for ehrlichiosis and 64% for rickettsiosis, was observed in the age group of 13–60 months. The mortality was greatest in the males in the age group, which manifested the disease in the chronic phase.