Open AccessEhrlichia canis in dogs experimentally infected, treated, and then immune suppressed during the acute or subclinical phases
Author(s) -
Sato Masahiko,
Veir Julia K.,
Shropshire Sarah B.,
Lappin Michael R.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/jvim.15750
Subject(s) - ehrlichia canis , canis , medicine , immunology , babesia canis , subclinical infection , antibody , babesiosis , doxycycline , immune system , titer , prednisolone , antibody titer , virology , biology , serology , microbiology and biotechnology , antibiotics , paleontology
Abstract Background Concerns for recrudescence of Ehrlichia canis infection arise when immunosuppressive drugs are used to treat immune‐mediated diseases in dogs previously infected with E. canis .Objectives Determine whether administration of prednisolone and cyclosporine would reactivate E. canis infection in dogs previously treated with doxycycline during the acute or subclinical phases. Animals Seven beagles previously experimentally infected with E. canis and administered doxycycline for 4 weeks were included. Three of the 7 dogs were incidentally concurrently infected with Anaplasma platys and Babesia vogeli and were administered 2 doses of imidocarb 2 weeks apart before enrollment in the current study. Methods Experimental study. Each dog was administered prednisolone and cyclosporine for 6 weeks. Clinical signs, complete blood cell count (CBC), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for E. canis , A. platys , and B. vogeli DNA in blood, E. canis indirect fluorescent antibodies (IFA) titers, and flow cytometry for antiplatelet antibodies were monitored. Results All dogs completed the immunosuppressive protocol. No evidence for recrudescence of E. canis , A. platys , or B. vogeli were detected based on clinical signs or results of CBC, PCR, IFA, and flow cytometry for antiplatelet antibodies. E. canis IFA titers were negative in 5/7 dogs at the end of immunosuppressive protocol and were negative 6 months after the protocol in 5/5 dogs available for testing. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Dogs administered with a 4‐week course of doxycycline with or without imidocarb failed to show evidence of activation of E. canis infection after administration of a commonly used immune suppressive protocol.