title: Assessment of feline ehrlichiosis in central Spain using serology and a polymerase chain reaction technique.
abstract: Antibodies to Ehrlichia spp. and inclusion bodies compatible with Ehrlichia spp. in feline blood cells have been previously detected in Spain. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of antibodies to E. canis, N. risticii, and A. phagocytophilum in 122 feline serum samples from Madrid (central Spain). In addition, Ehrlichia genus-specific, one-tube, nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed from blood samples from these cats. Of the cats, 10.6% were seropositive for E. canis, 2.4% were positive for N. risticii, and 4.9% were seropositive for A. phagocytophilum. Two N. risticii-positive cats and one animal seropositive to A. phagocytophilum were also seropositive for E. canis. Despite these seropositive results, all the blood samples analyzed by PCR were negative. Our results demonstrate reactivity against agents implicated in feline ehrlichiosis in Spain. Further studies should be performed in order to clarify the significance of serology and PCR in the diagnosis of feline ehrlichiosis.
authors.affiliation: Collefe of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain. angelehr@vet.ucm.es
authors.forename: Enara
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aguirre
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tesouro
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Amusategui
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Franco
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sainz
mesh_terms: D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*; D002415:Cats; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D041061:Ehrlichia canis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial