Chochlios TA, Angelidou E, Kritsepi-Konstantinou M, Koutinas CK, Mylonakis ME. Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Ehrlichia canis in a hospital canine population.
Vet Clin Pathol 2019;
48:305-309. [PMID:
31179564 DOI:
10.1111/vcp.12736]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2018] [Revised: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Ehrlichia canis (E canis) infection has been documented in a few small canine case series in Greece. However, there is limited information on the prevalence of exposure to, or the potential risk factors associated with E canis seroreactivity in a large native canine population.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this study were to evaluate E canis seroprevalence in dogs admitted to a veterinary teaching hospital, and to investigate the potential association between seropositivity and signalment, health status, the serologic assays used, and selected clinical and clinicopathologic abnormalities.
METHODS
The medical records of 850 client-owned dogs, tested using three in-office serologic assays, were retrospectively reviewed.
RESULTS
The E canis seroprevalence was significantly higher in sick (54.9%) compared with healthy (33.9%) dogs. Seropositivity differed significantly between the serologic assays used in this study (ImmunoComb vs SNAP 3Dx/SNAP 4Dx). Dogs presenting with bleeding tendencies, anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, pancytopenia, and hyperproteinemia were more likely to be E canis seropositive, and the median hematocrit (HCT), white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil, and platelet values were significantly lower in seropositive compared with seronegative dogs.
CONCLUSIONS
A high E canis seroprevalence was documented in a canine population living in an endemic area. Selected clinicopathologic variables might be useful indicators of E canis exposure and could allow the prioritization of serologic testing in the clinical setting.
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