Molecular detection of Ehrlichia canis in Rhipicephalus sanguineus (s.l.) ticks in dogs and their domestic environment in Cuiaba, MT, Brazil

Authors

  • Jackeliny Santos Costa Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Cuiabá – MT, Brazil
  • Andréia Lima Tome Melo Universidade de Cuiabá, Curso de Medicina Veterinária, Cuiabá – MT, Brazil
  • Rute Witter Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Cuiabá – MT, Brazil. Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia de Rondônia, Porto Velho – RO, Brazil
  • Thabata Anjos Pacheco Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Cuiabá – MT, Brazil. Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia de Rondônia, Porto Velho – RO, Brazil
  • Cristiane Silva Chitarra Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Cuiabá – MT, Brazil
  • Izabelle Thayná Soares Carvalho Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Cuiabá – MT, Brazil
  • Luciano Nakazato Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Cuiabá – MT, Brazil
  • Valeria Dutra Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Cuiabá – MT, Brazil
  • Richard Campos Pacheco Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Cuiabá – MT, Brazil
  • Daniel Moura de Aguiar Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Cuiabá – MT, Brazil http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8631-522X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.1678-4456.bjvras.2019.153661

Keywords:

Anaplasmataceae, Vector, Prevalence, PCR, Antibody

Abstract

The central region of Brazil is known to be an endemic area for canine ehrlichiosis. Therefore, this study aims to determine the prevalence rates of E. canis infection in dogs and in Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks collected from the dogs and their home environments. Serum samples and genomic DNA from the blood of 20 dogs and 299 ticks were analyzed by IFA and PCR assays in order to detect Ehrlichia canis antibodies and DNA. Nine (45%) of the 20 dogs were seropositive for E. canis, with titers ranging from 80 to 10240, and 6 dogs (30%) were positive for Ehrlichia spp. by PCR. Five free-living ticks were positive (2.89%, 95% confidence interval: 0.94-6.62%), as were six ticks attached to dogs (4.76%; 95% CI: 1.77-10.0%). The two groups showed a similar infection rate (P=0.395). Partial dsb DNA sequences of two samples from ticks were identical to each other and 100% (350/350 nucleotides) were identical to E. canis. Despite the high serological and molecular rates of canine ehrlichiosis in Cuiabá, the prevalence among infected ticks was lower than that found among dogs. However, adult ticks may remain infective much longer to ensure their infestation and infection of susceptible dogs.

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Published

2019-09-09

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FULL ARTICLE

How to Cite

Molecular detection of Ehrlichia canis in Rhipicephalus sanguineus (s.l.) ticks in dogs and their domestic environment in Cuiaba, MT, Brazil. (2019). Brazilian Journal of Veterinary Research and Animal Science, 56(2), e153661. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.1678-4456.bjvras.2019.153661