title: PCR detection of Anaplasma platys in blood and tissue of dogs during acute phase of experimental infection.
abstract: Four dogs were experimentally infected with Anaplasma platys to determine changes in real-time TaqMan PCR detection in blood and tissue, microscopically detectable parasitemia, and platelet concentrations during the first 28 days of infection. Buffy-coat blood cells were PCR positive for A. platys DNA at 4 days after inoculation and remained positive in all dogs until day 14. Marked thrombocytopenia and low parasitemia occurred in dogs during that initial period. During 17 and 28 days post-inoculation, the PCR results on buffy-coat blood cells were intermittently negative in each dog with marked thrombocytopenia and no microscopic evidence of parasitemia. Bone marrow and splenic aspirates collected from the A. platys-infected dogs were tested by real-time TaqMan PCR. Two dogs were PCR positive in spleen and marrow at 28 days post-inoculation, when PCR results for buffy-coat blood cells were negative. Spleen and/or bone marrow samples should be considered as additional samples for PCR testing of dogs, particularly when blood samples are PCR negative during the acute phase of A. platys infection.
authors.affiliation: Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA. seddlestone@vetmed.lsu.edu
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Eddlestone
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Gaunt
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Neer
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Boudreaux
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Haschke
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Corstvet
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000709:Anaplasma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000382:microbiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology; D019914:Taq Polymerase; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D019914:Taq Polymerase