| Sumario: |
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.
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