Serological survey for Ehrlichia canis in urban dogs from the major population centres of northern Australia |
| |
| Authors: | Mason R J Lee J M Curran J M Moss A Van Der Heide B Daniels P W |
| |
| Institution: | Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy, Australian Quarantine & Inspection Service, Cairns International Airport, Queensland. |
| |
| Abstract: | OBJECTIVE: To detect evidence of Ehrlichia canis infection of dogs from the major population centres of northern Australia, if present. DESIGN: Serological investigation for E. canis. PROCEDURE: The sera of 316 domestic dogs, collected from the northern Australian population centres of Townsville, Cairns, Darwin, Kununurra and Broome from May 1997 to August 1999, were investigated for evidence of infection with E. canis. Samples were tested for antibodies to E. canis using an indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test. The buffy coats from blood of dogs whose serum reacted in the IFA test were subsequently tested with a nested PCR to detect E. canis DNA. When available, blood from these dogs was injected into suckling mice, which were then examined for clinical disease and tested for the presence of E. canis antibodies. RESULTS: Of the 316 samples tested seven reacted in the IFA test for E. canis. None of the dogs from which these samples were obtained exhibited clinical signs of acute or chronic ehrlichiosis. The six positive samples available for testing were negative when tested with the nested PCR. Suckling mice inoculated with blood from three of the dogs whose serum was positive by IFA test showed no signs of clinical disease nor did their give positive reactions in the IFA test. CONCLUSIONS: No evidence of E. canis infection was confirmed in any of the dogs examined. Northern Australia would appear to remain free of this obligate parasite. |
| |
| Keywords: | canine ehrlichiosis Ehrlichia canis northern Australia Rhipicephalus sanguineus tick-borne tropical canine pancytopaenia IFA test specificity |
| 本文献已被 PubMed 等数据库收录！ |
|
