title: Polymerase chain reaction evidence of Ehrlichia chaffeensis, an etiologic agent of human ehrlichiosis, in dogs from southeast Virginia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain whether dogs are naturally infected with Ehrlichia chaffeensis.
  
  
  METHODS
  74 dogs from 5 animal shelters and 1 kennel in 3 cities and 3 counties in southeastern Virginia were tested during June 1991.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood was drawn from 74 dogs; 73 were tested serologically for antibodies reactive to E chaffeensis and E canis, and 38 were tested for the presence of E chaffeensis, E canis, and E ewingii by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Serologic testing by indirect fluorescent antibody assay. Nested PCR used Ehrlichia wide outside primers to detect initial products, followed by use of species-specific primers for identification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  28 (38.4%) dogs had a positive test result (minimum titer, > or = 1:64) for antibodies reactive to E chaffeensis, and 28 (38.4%) had a positive reaction to E canis. PCR analysis indicated that 8 (42.1%) dogs were positive for E chaffeensis and 6 dogs (31.6%) were positive for E ewingii. All dogs had negative results of the PCR test for E canis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dogs are potential reservoirs of E chaffeensis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Canine E chaffeensis infection may be more prevalent than E canis or E ewingii infection in this region of the United States.
authors.affiliation: Viral and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Biggie
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cookson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Olson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D017931:DNA Primers; D004283:Dog Diseases; D004285:Dogs / Q000382:microbiology*; D004536:Ehrlichia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018469:Ehrlichia chaffeensis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D014768:Virginia
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D017931:DNA Primers