Naturally occurring Ehrlichia chaffeensis infection in coyotes from Oklahoma.
A nested polymerase chain reaction assay was used to determine the presence of Ehrlichia chaffeensis, E. canis, and E. ewingii DNA in blood samples of free-ranging coyotes from central and northcentral Oklahoma. Of the 21 coyotes examined, 15 (71%) were positive for E. chaffeensis DNA; none was positive for E. canis or E. ewingii. Results suggest that E. chaffeensis infections are common in free-ranging coyotes in Oklahoma and that these wild canids could play a role in the epidemiology of human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis.
Kocan
A A
AA
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, USA. aak4453@
Levesque
G C
GC
Whitworth
L C
LC
Murphy
G L
GL
Ewing
S A
SA
Barker
R W
RW
D000818:Animals; D002335:Carnivora; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018469:Ehrlichia chaffeensis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D006801:Humans; D009825:Oklahoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D004269:DNA, Bacterial