immunology of infectious and parasitic diseases - XXXVII Congress ...

Ehrlichia spp. IN DOGS IN UBERLÂNDIA, BRAZIL: SEROPREVALENCE
AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS
SUSANA ELISA RIECK 1 ; ROSIANE NASCIMENTO ALVES 2 ; MARCELO
ARANTES LEVENHAGEN 2 ; ROGÉRIO DE MELO COSTA PINTO 3 ; MATIAS
PABLO SZABÓ 4 ; MARCELO EMÍLIO BELETTI 2
1 Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Triângulo Mineiro,
Campus Uberlândia. 2 Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal
de Uberlândia. 3 Faculdade de Matemática, Universidade Federal de
Uberlândia. 4 Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de
Uberlândia.
Introduction: The canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) is a disease of
veterinary importance and are also responsible for emerging life-threatening
anthropozoonoses. The primary etiologic agent is a α-proteobacteria that
belongs to the order Rickettsiales called Ehrlichia canis, obligate intracellular
phatogen with a tropism for monocytes and macrophages. This organism has a
worldwide distribution, concentrated in tropical and subtropical regions due to
the geographical distribution of its main biological vector tick, Rhipicephalus
sanguineus. At this time, however, there have been few epidemiological data
collected regarding the prevalence of Ehrlichia in the southeast region of Brazil.
Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence and factors
associated with a positive antibody response to Ehrlichia spp. in dogs in
Uberlândia, Brazil.
Methods and Results: Blood samples were obtained from a total of 400 dogs,
and each animal was examined to determine age, sex, source, localization and
exposure to ticks. The samples were analyzed for antibodies to Ehrlichia spp.
using an indirect immunofluorescence assay. The statistical analysis was
performed by the chi-square test to determine the relation between positive and
negative results and associated factors. Two hundred and eleven (52.8%) of the
400 dogs were found to be seropositive to Ehrlichia spp. The factors sex and
exposure to ticks were not significant. Meantime, the following factors
associated with seropositive animals were: age (>1 year: 56.3%, P = 0.002),
source (stray dogs: 68.8%, P = 0.002) and localization (district dogs where the
economic development is low: 76.7%, P = 0.0001).
Conclusion: Results suggest that Uberlândia is endemic to CME. Therefore
dogs over one year old, wandering and living in localities with less economic
development are predisposed to this disease.
Financial support: CNPq, CAPES and FAPEMIG.