Sumario: |
Background: A cross-sectional study combining different serological and molecular
techniques for the detection of Ehrlichia canis in dogs was carried out to determine
hemopathological findings and suggestive clinical signs associated with acute, subclinical
and chronic infections in the dog population of Costa Rica. Objectives: The
present study describes and analyzes, in a more representative sampling frame, the
clinical and hematological presentation of E. canis infection in dogs of Costa Rica in
all its clinical stages. Methods: A descriptive analysis of the clinical signs was performed
from a 441-dog sample. Serological and molecular techniques for the detection
of Ehrlichia canis in dogs were applied. One and two-way ANOVA were carried
out to determine the effect of the infection status on the hematological parameters.
Results: A total of 0.7% (3/407) dogs were found with acute (seronegative but PCR
positive), 29.7% (121/407) with subclinical (seropositive and PCR negative), and
2.5% (10/407) with chronic (seropositive and PCR positive) E. canis infections. Significant
hemopathological findings were determined in dogs with acute (thrombocytosis),
subclinical and chronic (anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia) E. canis
infections. Conclusions: Future studies must determine if dogs with subclinical E.
canis infections eliminated the agent without any medication, or if they continue to
be persistently infected, and will develop the chronic disease at some point in their
lives.
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