Natural infection of domestic goats with Ehrlichia chaffeensis.
Thirty-eight domestic goats from an area of Ehrlichia chaffeensis endemicity were tested for antibodies reactive to E. chaffeensis and for E. chaffeensis-specific 16S rRNA gene fragments by an indirect fluorescent antibody test and a nested PCR assay, respectively. Twenty-eight of 38 (73.7%) goats had antibodies reactive to E. chaffeensis (>/=1:128), and 6 of 38 (15.8%) goats were positive by diagnostic PCR; E. chaffeensis was isolated in cell culture from one goat. Our data indicate that goats in areas of endemicity are naturally exposed to and infected with E. chaffeensis.
Dugan
V G
VG
Department of Medical Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
Little
S E
SE
Stallknecht
D E
DE
Beall
A D
AD
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D018469:Ehrlichia chaffeensis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005845:Georgia; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006041:Goats; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013987:Ticks
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S