Rickettsia typhi infection in a clinically-ill dog from Houston, Texas

Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports. 2022 Oct:35:100781. doi: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2022.100781. Epub 2022 Sep 11.

Abstract

In 2020, Rickettsia typhi was diagnosed in a dog from Houston, Texas, USA based upon R. typhi IFA seroreactivity in both acute and convalescent sera, and PCR with DNA sequencing of 4 different gene regions, all of which were 100% identical to R. typhi. The dog was clinically ill with intermittent fever, lethargy, inappetence, and lymphadenopathy. Clinicopathological abnormalities included a mild nonregenerative anemia, neutrophilia, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminemia, and elevated ALP. The dog rapidly recovered with doxycycline administration.

Keywords: Dog; Murine typhus; North America; Rickettsia typhi.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dog Diseases* / diagnosis
  • Dog Diseases* / drug therapy
  • Dogs
  • Doxycycline / therapeutic use
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
  • Rickettsia typhi
  • Texas
  • Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne* / diagnosis
  • Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne* / drug therapy
  • Typhus, Endemic Flea-Borne* / veterinary

Substances

  • Doxycycline