比格犬埃立克体病实验模型的建立

为犬埃立克体病的病理学、临床学、病原学的深入研究，我们用Beagle(比格犬）复制犬埃立克体病以建立犬埃立克体病实验模型。比格犬静脉接种E.platy和E.canis后，利用PCR和电镜技术确证感染成功。进一步的观察发现，接种后比格犬与最最感的德国牧羊犬自然感染埃立克体病的临床症关放病理学变化基本吻合。结果说明通过静脉接种病原成功建立了比格犬埃立克体病实验模型。     

犬在埃立克体病研究中的作用

随着新病原及病原新的致病性不断被发现 ,埃立克体及埃立克体病已经成为预防医学和兽医学研究热点。在已经发现的 1 1种埃立克体病原中 ,有 5种可以直接感染犬 ,引起不同的犬埃立克体病 ;另外 2种为早先分别从人单核细胞埃立克体病和粒细胞埃立克体病患者中分离的病原 ,在流行区的犬体内也可以分离到。资料表明犬对许多埃立克体都极为敏感 ,犬在埃立克体及埃立克体病研究上占有重要地位。鉴于这是我国近年才发现的新病原 ,许多兽医及研究工作者不认识它 ,文章就相关埃立克体对犬的感染和所致疾病以及在流行病学上的意义进行了综述。     

犬埃立克体病诊断与防治研究进展

犬埃立克体病是由严格细胞内(白细胞或血小板)寄生的埃立克体(Ehrlichia,属立克次体科)所致的疾病。该病是以热带和亚热带为主的全球性分布的疾病,由于犬埃立克体主要对犬的白细胞和脾脏等造成损伤,病犬表现为免疫力低下、极度消瘦,犬埃立克体病也被称为犬的艾滋病。近年来我国有多起关于犬发生犬埃立克体病的报道。论文就该病进行系统的论述,希望能够对该病的诊断和防治带来帮助。     

应用PCR检测犬埃立克体病的研究

用已确证为扁平埃立克体（Ehrlichia platys)和犬埃立克体（E.canis）混合感染的犬全血对6只格犬进行人工感染，通过对其临床症状，血流学变化，血涂片包涵体观察，并将其PCR结果与后来确诊为犬埃立克体病的18只病犬血的PCR结果比较，表明PCR方法能够对早期犬埃立克体病做出准确诊断。     

犬埃立克体实验模型初步研究

将犬埃立克体标准毒株（Florida株）体外细胞纯培养物和我国犬埃立克体病病犬血白细胞分别接种于C3H小鼠，接毒后d，经PCR检测证实均感染成功。本试验为犬埃立克体病小动物模型的建立打下了基础。     

我国犬埃立克体病病原的分离与鉴定——Ⅰ.病原16SrRNA基因序列测定与分析

用实验动物接种法,分离保存我国某养犬基地犬埃立克体病病原。以此病原对易感犬接毒,接毒犬发病后采集急性期全血提取基因组,对病原 １６ Ｓｒ Ｒ Ｎ Ａ 基因进行扩增、克隆测序。结果,病原被保存在病犬血细胞内,并能成功地使健康犬感染发病;检测到的 ２ 种致犬埃立克体病病原 １６ Ｓ ｒ Ｒ Ｎ Ａ 基因序列与国外已发现的相应病原基因序列有一定差异,显示其为不同菌株,分别命名为埃立克体 Ｇｚｈ ９８１ 株和 Ｇｚｈ９８２ 株。进一步分析表明,导致我国某养犬基地犬埃立克体病的病原为扁平埃立克体和犬埃立克体。     

比格犬埃立克体病实验模型研究Ⅲ病原观察

为了观察犬埃立克体病病犬血细胞中病原的感染情况,对6只人工感染埃立克体的比格犬血细胞进行了光镜和透射电镜观察.结果发现,单核细胞的细胞质和血小板中均存在埃立克体包涵体,其中单核细胞的包涵体内病原多达8个,血小板的包涵体内也发现数个病原.这一结果进一步证实我们成功地建立了比格犬埃立克体病实验模型,也为临床上诊断犬埃立克体病提供了形态学依据.     

我国犬埃立克体病病原分离与鉴定 Ⅱ.我国病原株与其他埃立克体间的遗传距离分析

应用clustalw 计算机分析软件,对我国南方某养犬基地的埃立克体病原株(Gzh981 和Gzh982)与基因库中其他相关埃立克体16SrRNA 基因进行了匹配分析。结果表明,我国的2 种分离株分别与E. platys和 E. canis 的遗传距离最小(0.001)。在系统发育中, Gzh981 和 E. platys、HGE、E. equi、E.phagocytophila 同属一群;Gzh982 和E. canis、E. ew ingii、E. chaffeensis、E. m uris同属一群。     

比格犬埃立克体病实验模型研究Ⅰ.血常规及血生化检测

为观察犬埃立克体病急性期血液学变化,对6只人工感染埃立克体的比格犬进行了血常规及血生化检测.采集比格犬感染前后的血液样本,测定血常规及各项血生化指标,并对测定结果作统计学处理.血常规检测发现感染后RBC、WBC、HGB、HCT、PLT、MPV、LYM和MONO值极显著降低(P＜0.01),RDW显著降低(P＜0.05);血生化检测发现感染后ALT和AST极显著升高(P＜0.01),ALB极显著降低(P＜0.01).结果表明,我国犬埃立克体病急性期血液学变化较国外报道的更为明显,这可能与埃立克体中国病原株的致病性不同有关.     

我国犬埃立克体病病原分离与鉴定Ⅲ.病原的电镜观察

对埃立克体感染犬的单核细胞和血小板进行了透射电镜观察，结果表明，单核细胞的细胞质和血小板中均存在埃立克体包涵体，其中单核细胞的包涵体内病原多达８个，血小板的包涵体内至少有３个病原。这一结果从形态学角度进一步证实了引起了广州市郊栽养犬基地流行犬埃立克体病的病原为２处，即感染单核细胞的犬埃立克体（Ｅｈｒｌｉｃｈｉａ ｃａｎｉｓ）和感染血小板的扁平埃立克体（Ｅ．ｐｌａｔｙｓ）。     

Cultivation and molecular identification of Ehrlichia canis and Ehrlichia chaffeensis from a naturally co-infected dog in Venezuela

Background: Diagnosis of canine ehrlichiosis in Venezuela is normally performed by examination of buffy coat smears (BCS). Characteristic inclusion bodies are frequently observed in leukocytes and platelets from dogs with clinical signs of the disease. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the co-infection of a dog with Ehrlichia canis and E hrlichia chaffeensis using microbiological and molecular techniques. Methods: Primary cultures of monocytes from a dog showing signs of ehrlichiosis were performed. Ehrlichial inclusions in blood cells were demonstrated by BCS and in cultured cell smears with direct immunofluorescence and Dip Quick staining. Nested PCR analysis was performed with DNA from blood samples and cultures, using primers specific for E. canis and E. chaffeensis. The amplified DNA fragments were sequenced to confirm the specificity of the amplifications. Results: The BCS of the naturally infected dog contained intracellular morulae. Ehrlichial inclusions were observed 9 days after inoculation of the primary cultures. After 3 passages with monocytes from a healthy dog, 65% of infected cells, and cells with >60 morulae were observed. A healthy female German Shepherd dog, seronegative for E. canis and E. chaffeensis antigens and without contact to ticks, was inoculated with an infected culture. The animal developed signs of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis and became seropositive. Nested PCR results and sequencing of amplified DNA fragments demonstrated the simultaneous presence of E. canis and E. chaffeensis in both dogs. Conclusions: This is the first report of E. chaffeensis in dogs in South America. This organism was previously identified in dogs by PCR only in the United States.     

Platelet aggregation studies in acute experimental canine ehrlichiosis

BACKGROUND: Thrombocytopenia is the most common and consistent hematologic finding in patients with canine monocytic ehrlichiosis. Dogs that recover from the severe thrombocytopenia still show bleeding tendencies, which suggest that platelet dysfunction is present. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the occurrence and duration of platelet dysfunction in dogs with ehrlichiosis and to assess whether dysfunction is related to thrombocytopenia. METHODS: Ten adult male and female mongrel dogs were used in the study; 7 were inoculated intravenously with whole blood containing Ehrlichia canis, and 3 were used as controls. Platelet aggregation (with collagen/epinephrine and adenosine diphosphate (ADP)/epinephrine) and platelet counts were evaluated weekly for 112 days. RESULTS: The infected group showed a decrease in platelet aggregation response to collagen/epinephrine and ADP/epinephrine on days 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 (P <.05). Thrombocytopenia was observed in all infected animals from day 7 to 35 postinfection (P <.05). CONCLUSIONS: The tendency of dogs infected with E canis to bleed may be related not only to thrombocytopenia but also to platelet dysfunction associated with the disease.     

Prevalence of Ehrlichia canis infection in thrombocytopenic dogs from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

BACKGROUND: Infection with Ehrlichia canis causes a highly variable, multisystemic disease in dogs. Nevertheless, many clinicians in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, use the presence of only thrombocytopenia to make a presumptive diagnosis of E canis infection. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of E canis in thrombocytopenic dogs from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). METHODS: Following DNA extraction of whole blood samples from 226 dogs, PCR assays were done using primers for rickettsial DNA (including Ehrlichia spp, Anaplasma platys and A phagocytophilum) and using E canis-specific primers (16S rRNA gene). Dogs were grouped as thrombocytopenic and nonthrombocytopenic based on platelet counts. The null hypothesis that there was no difference in the prevalence of E canis in these groups was rejected at P<.05. RESULTS: Thirty-six (32.1%) of the thrombocytopenic dogs and 4 (3.5%) of the nonthrombocytopenic dogs were positive for rickettsial gene sequences (P<.0001). Further, 30 (26.8%) of thrombocytopenic dogs and 4 (3.5%) nonthrombocytopenic dogs were positive for E canis-specific gene sequences (P<.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Although the prevalence of E canis infection was higher in thrombocytopenic dogs, less than one third of these dogs had demonstrable E canis infection. Thus, thrombocytopenia is not specific for the detection of E canis infection and should not be used solely to establish a diagnosis of canine ehrlichiosis, even in a geographic area with relatively high disease prevalence.     

Diagnosis of canine monocytotropic ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia canis): An overview

Canine monocytotropic ehrlichiosis (CME), caused by the rickettsia Ehrlichia canis, an important canine disease with a worldwide distribution. Diagnosis of the disease can be challenging due to its different phases and multiple clinical manifestations. CME should be suspected when a compatible history (living in or traveling to an endemic region, previous tick exposure), typical clinical signs and characteristic hematological and biochemical abnormalities are present. Traditional diagnostic techniques including hematology, cytology, serology and isolation are valuable diagnostic tools for CME, however a definitive diagnosis of E. canis infection requires molecular techniques. This article reviews the current literature covering the diagnosis of infection caused by E. canis.     

Sero-prevalence and risk indicators for canine ehrlichiosis in three rural areas of Brazil

Ehrlichia canis has a worldwide geographic distribution, occurring particularly in tropical and subtropical areas. In Brazil, the main vector in urban areas is believed to be the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus, but little is known about the occurrence, transmission and other epidemiological aspects of canine ehrlichiosis in rural areas, where Amblyomma ticks are found more frequently than R. sanguineus. A sero-prevalence study of canine ehrlichiosis was carried out in three distinct rural regions of the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Serum samples were collected from 226 dogs living on farms in Lavras (n=85), Belo Horizonte (n=45), and Nanuque (n=96) and were analyzed by an indirect fluorescent antibody test for the detection of anti-Ehrlichia canis antibodies. Age, breed, sex, presence of ticks and packed cell volume were also recorded. There were 65.6% positive dogs in Nanuque, 37.8% in Belo Horizonte, and 24.7% in Lavras. Animals living in Nanuque were 4.6 times more likely to be serologically positive than dogs living in the other two regions and antibody titres were considerable higher in this area. Male dogs, dogs >5 years of age, those infested with ticks, and mongrels all showed higher rates of positivity. The results point to the importance of canine ehrlichiosis in rural areas and indicate the need for further studies on natural transmission and maintenance of the disease.     

Detection of Ehrlichia canis by polymerase chain reaction in dogs from Portugal

Antibodies against Ehrlichia canis, the cause of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, have been reported previously in clinically ill and stray dogs from Portugal. In this study, the 16S rRNA gene of E. canis was detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 12/55 (22%) of dogs with suspected tick-borne disease in the Algarve region in Portugal.     

Host surveys, ixodid tick biology and transmission scenarios as related to the tick-borne pathogen, Ehrlichia canis

The ehrlichioses have been subject to increasing interest from veterinary and public health perspectives, but experimental studies of these diseases and their etiologic agents can be challenging. Ehrlichia canis, the primary etiologic agent of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, is relatively well characterized and offers unique advantages and opportunities to study interactions between a monocytotropic pathogen and both its vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. Historically, advances in tick-borne disease control strategies have typically followed explication of tick-pathogen-vertebrate interactions, thus it is reasonable to expect novel, more sustainable approaches to control of these diseases as the transmission of their associated infections are investigated at the molecular through ecological levels. Better understanding of the interactions between E. canis and its canine and tick hosts would also elucidate similar interactions for other Ehrlichia species as well as the potential roles of canine sentinels, reservoirs and models of tick-borne zoonoses. This article summarizes natural exposure studies and experimental investigations of E. canis in the context of what is understood about biological vectors of tick-borne Anaplasmataceae.     

First isolation and molecular characterization of Ehrlichia canis in Costa Rica, Central America

The present study investigated Ehrlichia species in blood samples from dogs suspected of clinical ehrlichiosis, using molecular and isolation techniques in cell culture. From a total of 310 canine blood samples analyzed by 16S rRNA nested PCR, 148 (47.7%) were positive for Ehrlichia canis. DNA from Ehrlichia chaffeensis or Ehrlichia ewingii was not detected in any sample using species-specific primers in separated reactions. Leukocytes from five PCR-positive dogs were inoculated into DH82 cells; successful isolation of E. canis was obtained in four samples. Partial sequence of the dsb gene of eight canine blood samples (including the five samples for in vitro isolation) was obtained by PCR and their analyses through BLAST showed 100% of identity with the corresponding sequence of E. canis in GenBank. This study represents the first molecular diagnosis, isolation, and molecular characterization of E. canis in dogs from Costa Rica.