title: Serological evidence of Ehrlichia spp. exposure in cats from northeastern Spain.
abstract: There is little information about Ehrlichia canis as an infectious agent in cats. In order to estimate the prevalence of antibodies to E. canis in the feline population, 235 cat sera were analysed by indirect fluorescent-antibody test. With the objective to determine some risk factors associated with seropositivity, serum samples were divided into two groups: urban stray cats and pet cats. The seroprevalence detected was 17.9%. Most positive sera (83.3%) showed low antibody titres (<1:80). Seropositivity was very similar when comparing the two groups of animals: 17.4% in urban stray cats and 18.4% in pet cats. Results revealed that cats are exposed to Ehrlichia spp. infection, as the low antibody titres detected and the serological cross-reactivity between Ehrlichia species do not allow us to confirm E. canis exposure.
authors.affiliation: Departament de Sanitat Animal, Facultat de Veterinaria, Universitat Autonomod de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain. ana.ortuno@uab.es
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ortuño
authors.forename: C B L
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Gauss
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D002415:Cats; D004536:Ehrlichia / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial