title: Serum canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity in experimentally induced and naturally occurring canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia canis).
abstract: Ehrlichia canis infection causes multisystemic disease in dogs (canine monocytic ehrlichiosis, CME) which is associated with variable morbidity and mortality. Atypical clinical manifestations, including gastrointestinal signs, may occasionally occur in CME and approximately 10-15% of dogs are presented with historical or clinical evidence of vomiting, diarrhea, and/or abdominal discomfort. The objective of this study was to investigate if there are any alterations in serum canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (cPLI) in dogs with experimentally induced or naturally occurring monocytic ehrlichiosis. Serum samples from 10 Beagle dogs experimentally infected with E. canis and two healthy uninfected Beagles were serially examined; samples from 20 naturally infected dogs (10 with non-myelosuppressive [NME] and 10 with myelosuppressive [ME] ehrlichiosis) were also examined at a given point in time (cross-sectional sampling). None of the experimentally infected Beagles showed gastrointestinal signs or increased cPLI concentrations prior to or following the artificial infection. Three naturally infected dogs with NME and one with ME demonstrated serum cPLI concentrations in the diagnostic range for pancreatitis (>400 μg/L) without showing gastrointestinal signs. The results of the present study indicated that 4/20 (20%) of dogs naturally infected with E. canis demonstrated increased serum cPLI concentrations consistent with mild and clinically inapparent pancreatitis.
authors: Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (CAC-AUTh), 11 Stavrou Voutyra Street, 54627 Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: mmylonak@vet.auth.gr.
authors: Mathios E
authors: ME
authors: Mylonakis
authors: Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 4474 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors: Panagiotis G
authors: PG
authors: Xenoulis
authors: Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (CAC-AUTh), 11 Stavrou Voutyra Street, 54627 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Konstantina
authors: K
authors: Theodorou
authors: Laboratory of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124, Greece.
authors: Victoria I
authors: VI
authors: Siarkou
authors: Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 4474 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors: Jörg M
authors: JM
authors: Steiner
authors: Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, P.O. Box 12, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
authors: Shimon
authors: S
authors: Harrus
authors: Laboratory of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Animal Health Economics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, 224 Trikalon Street, 43100 Karditsa, Greece.
authors: Leonidas
authors: L
authors: Leontides
authors: Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (CAC-AUTh), 11 Stavrou Voutyra Street, 54627 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Timoleon
authors: T
authors: Rallis
authors: Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 4474 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors: Jan S
authors: JS
authors: Suchodolski
authors: Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (CAC-AUTh), 11 Stavrou Voutyra Street, 54627 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Christos K
authors: CK
authors: Koutinas
authors: Companion Animal Clinic, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (CAC-AUTh), 11 Stavrou Voutyra Street, 54627 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Alexander F
authors: AF
authors: Koutinas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology*; D004285:Dogs; D041061:Ehrlichia canis / Q000276:immunology; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008049:Lipase / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009000:Monocytes / Q000469:parasitology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D008049:Lipase
keywords: Dog; Ehrlichia canis; Monocytic ehrlichiosis; Pancreatitis