Serological survey of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma infection of feral raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
Numbers of feral raccoon; the possible reservoir animal of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma, are increasing in Japan. Thus serological methods were utilized to examine Ehrlichia and Anaplasma infection in raccoons from Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. By using an indirect immunofluorescence assay, among 187 feral raccoons examined, 1 (0.5%) serologically reacted with Ehrlichia canis, 3 (1.6%) with Ehrlichia chaffeensis and 1 (0.5%) with Anaplasma phagocytophilum with the titers of 1:40 or more. Although screening PCR for Ehrlichia and Anaplasma species failed to detect the presence of ehrlichial DNA in serum samples, results of the serological tests suggested that the feral raccoons might be infected with some species of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma.
Inokuma
Hisashi
H
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada, Obihiro, Japan. inokuma@obihiro.ac.jp
Makino
Takashi
T
Kabeya
Hidenori
H
Nogami
Sadao
S
Fujita
Hiromi
H
Asano
Makoto
M
Inoue
Satoshi
S
Maruyama
Soichi
S
D000709:Anaplasma / Q000145:classification; D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D004536:Ehrlichia / Q000145:classification; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011821:Raccoons / Q000469:parasitology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan