title: Direct identification of Ehrlichia canis by a novel polymerase chain reaction method and molecular analysis of the citrate synthase (gltA) gene from various Italian strains.
abstract: Fourteen blood samples collected from dogs that were seropositive for Ehrlichia canis were examined for the presence of the citrate synthase gene using a highly specific and sensitive novel polymerase chain reaction assay. The assay detected E. canis DNA in 3 dogs. The complete nucleotide sequence of the citrate synthase gene was determined in 2 of the test-positive samples, and represents the first sequence of the gene to be derived from Italian isolates. The sequence data displayed high identity (99.2%) between the geographically separated Italian samples and the Oklahoma strain of E. canis. The high-sequence conservation revealed by molecular analysis confirmed the usefulness of the citrate synthase gene as a target for detection of E. canis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, University of Teramo, Italy. fmarsilio@unite.it
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marsilio
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Di Martino
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Meridiani
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bianciardi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D004285:Dogs; D041061:Ehrlichia canis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007558:Italy; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D002950:Citrate (si)-Synthase