title: Evaluation of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in family-owned dogs naturally infected by Ehrlichia canis.
abstract: Previous research suggested that clinical manifestations, histopathological lesions, and even infection maintenance in the course of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) are directly related to the immune response developed by the host. In the present study, blood lymphocyte subsets were analyzed by multiparametric flow cytometry in 37 dogs with naturally occurring CME and 47 healthy dogs used as controls. T, T helper (Th), T cytotoxic (Tc), B, non-T, non-B lymphocytes and those that express MHC class II were characterized in every dog. Animals with CME showed higher relative values of T and Tc cells and a higher absolute number of Tc cells in peripheral blood. The percentage of Th cells and the absolute and relative values of B cells were higher in healthy animals than in CME-affected dogs. The significance of these changes on the pathogenesis of natural Ehrlichia canis infection in dogs needs further evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Avda Puerta de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain. alejandrav@vet.ucm.es
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villaescusa
authors.forename: Miguel Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tesouro
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García-Sancho
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ayllón
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Franco
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sainz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs; D041061:Ehrlichia canis / Q000276:immunology*; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD