Chronic canine ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia canis): a retrospective study of 19 natural cases

J Am Anim Hosp Assoc. 2004 May-Jun;40(3):174-84. doi: 10.5326/0400174.

Abstract

Nineteen dogs from Greece with chronic ehrlichiosis were studied. The dogs exhibited bicytopenia or pancytopenia, bone marrow hypoplasia, seroreactivity to Ehrlichia canis (E. canis) antigens, and had no history of drug or radiation exposure. Anorexia, depression, severe bleeding tendencies, hypoalbuminemia, and increased serum alanine aminotransferase activity were also hallmarks of the disease. All these animals eventually died, irrespective of the treatment applied. Some dogs were also serologically positive for Rickettsia conorii, Leishmania infantum (L. infantum), and Bartonella vinsonii subspp. berkhoffii. Polymerase chain reaction testing of bone marrow samples revealed E. canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilia, Anaplasma platys, and L. infantum in some dogs. Concurrent infections did not appear to substantially influence the clinical course and final outcome of the chronic canine ehrlichiosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
  • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology
  • Blood Cell Count / veterinary
  • Chronic Disease / therapy
  • Dog Diseases / blood
  • Dog Diseases / mortality
  • Dog Diseases / pathology*
  • Dogs
  • Ehrlichia canis / immunology*
  • Ehrlichia canis / isolation & purification
  • Ehrlichiosis / blood
  • Ehrlichiosis / mortality
  • Ehrlichiosis / pathology
  • Ehrlichiosis / veterinary*
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / methods
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / veterinary
  • Male
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Seasons

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Antigens, Bacterial