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Assessment of Feline Ehrlichiosis in Central Spain Using Serology and a Polymerase Chain Reaction Technique
Author(s) -
AGUIRRE ENARA,
TESOURO MIGUEL A.,
AMUSATEGUI INMACULADA,
RODRÍGUEZFRANCO FERNANDO,
SAINZ ANGEL
Publication year - 2004
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 - 10.1196/annals.1307.013
Subject(s) - ehrlichia , ehrlichiosis , serology , ehrlichia canis , cats , canis , virology , polymerase chain reaction , biology , antibody , anaplasma phagocytophilum , medicine , immunology , borrelia burgdorferi , tick , paleontology , biochemistry , gene
A bstract : Antibodies to Ehrlichia spp. and inclusion bodies compatible with Ehrlichia spp. in feline blood cells have been previously detected in Spain. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of antibodies to E. canis , N. risticii , and A. phagocytophilum in 122 feline serum samples from Madrid (central Spain). In addition, Ehrlichia genus‐specific, one‐tube, nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed from blood samples from these cats. Of the cats, 10.6% were seropositive for E. canis , 2.4% were positive for N. risticii , and 4.9% were seropositive for A. phagocytophilum . Two N. risticii ‐positive cats and one animal seropositive to A. phagocytophilum were also seropositive for E. canis . Despite these seropositive results, all the blood samples analyzed by PCR were negative. Our results demonstrate reactivity against agents implicated in feline ehrlichiosis in Spain. Further studies should be performed in order to clarify the significance of serology and PCR in the diagnosis of feline ehrlichiosis.