Canine Monocytic Ehrlichiosis among working dogs of organised kennels in India: A comprehensive analyses of clinico-pathology, serological and molecular epidemiological approach

Publication date: 1 November 2017 Source:Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Volume 147 Author(s): Mitesh Mittal, Krishnendu Kundu, Soumendu Chakravarti, Jajati K. Mohapatra, Kapil Nehra, V.K. Sinha, B.S. Sanjeeth, C.P. Churamani, Anil Kumar Canine Monocytic Ehrlichiosis (CME) is a serious tick-borne rickettsial disease affecting canine populations globally. Besides few reports from stray and pet dogs from localised geographical regions (cities/towns/small states), a comprehensive study on prevalence of Ehrlichia canis (E. canis) among working dogs from different geo-climatic zones of India was pertinently lacking. Study of CME among these dog populations was thus carried out, encompassing clinical aspects and different diagnostic methodologies viz., microscopy, serology and molecular biology. During the two-year study period, clinical specimens from 225 cases suspected of canine ehrlichiosis were examined for clinical pathology and presence of the haemoparasites. Overall prevalence of ehrlichiosis by microscopic examination, commercial dot-ELISA kit and nested PCR assay was estimated to be 1.3%, 19.1% and 5.8%, respectively, which were found to be statistically significant by McNemar Chi squared test (p<0.05). It was also observed that possibly due to widespread use of doxycycline therapy in field, CME presently does not remain a potential threat which it uses to pose earlier. However, concurrent infections of E. canis and Babesia gibsoni were found to be mostl...
Source: Preventive Veterinary Medicine - Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research