title: Detection of Ehrlichia canis in domestic cats in the central-western region of Brazil.
abstract: Ehrlichiosis is a worldwide distributed disease caused by different bacteria of the Ehrlichia genus that are transmitted by arthropod vectors. Its occurrence in dogs is considered endemic in several regions of Brazil. Regarding cats, however, few studies have been done and, consequently, there is not enough data available. In order to detect Ehrlichia spp. in cats from the central-western region of Brazil, blood and serum samples were collected from a regional population of 212 individuals originated from the cities of Cuiabá and Várzea Grande. These animals were tested by the Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA) and the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) designed to amplify a 409 bp fragment of the dsb gene. The results obtained show that 88 (41.5%) cats were seropositive by IFA and 20 (9.4%) cats were positive by PCR. The partial DNA sequence obtained from PCR products yielded twenty samples that were found to match perfectly the Ehrlichia canis sequences deposited on GenBank. The natural transmission of Ehrlichia in cats has not been fully established. Furthermore, tick infestation was not observed in the evaluated cats and was not observed any association between age, gender and positivity of cats in both tests. The present study reports the first serological and molecular detection of E. canis in domestic cats located in the endemic area previously mentioned.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias Faculdade de Agronomia, Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso CuiabáMT Brazil Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Faculdade de Agronomia, Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil. ; Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses Hospital Veterinário Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso CuiabáMT Brazil Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Hospital Veterinário, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ísis Assis
authors.initials: ÍA
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses Hospital Veterinário Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso CuiabáMT Brazil Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Hospital Veterinário, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luana Gabriela Ferreira
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias Faculdade de Agronomia, Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso CuiabáMT Brazil Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Faculdade de Agronomia, Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
authors.forename: Dirceu Guilherme
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: de Souza Ramos
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias Faculdade de Agronomia, Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso CuiabáMT Brazil Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Faculdade de Agronomia, Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil. ; Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses Hospital Veterinário Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso CuiabáMT Brazil Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Hospital Veterinário, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andréia Lima Tomé
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.affiliation: Centro de Controle de Zoonoses Secretaria Municipal da Saúde de Cuiabá CuiabáMT Brazil Centro de Controle de Zoonoses, Secretaria Municipal da Saúde de Cuiabá, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo Leandro
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: da Cruz Mestre
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses Hospital Veterinário Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso CuiabáMT Brazil Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Hospital Veterinário, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniel Moura
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: de Aguiar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D002415:Cats; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D041061:Ehrlichia canis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial
keywords: Ehrlichiosis; IFA; PCR; feline; ticks