title: Evaluation of cytology in the diagnosis of acute canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia canis): a comparison between five methods.
abstract: The purpose of this study was the comparison of the diagnostic sensitivity between buffy coat (BC), peripheral blood (PB), lymph node (LN), bone marrow (BM) and short-term culture (P-D) cytology that has been based on the detection of Ehrlichia canis morulae, in the acute phase of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME). Their cellular localization, total numbers and microscopic differentials were also investigated. The highest sensitivities were achieved after evaluating 1000 oil immersion fields (OIFs) in BC (66%) and an equal number in LN (60.9%) smears, separately or together (74%). The morulae were more often detected into lymphocytes than monocytes. The highest total number of morulae (n=143) were found in P-D smears. Finally, to avoid false positive diagnoses, platelets, lymphocytic azurophilic granules, lymphoglandular bodies and phagocytosed nuclear material should not be confused with the morulae.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Companion Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotles University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Mylonakis
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Koutinas
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Billinis
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Leontides
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kontos
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rallis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fytianou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D041061:Ehrlichia canis / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009028:Morula / Q000166:cytology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial