scholarly journals Canine ehrlichiosis: clinical, hematological, serological and molecular aspects

2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 766-770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andréa Cristina Higa Nakaghi ◽  
Rosangela Zacarias Machado ◽  
Mirela Tinucci Costa ◽  
Marcos Rogério André ◽  
Cristiane Divan Baldani

The aim of the present study was to compare the direct detection methods of Ehrlichia canis (blood smears and nested PCR), serological tests (Dot-ELISA and Immunofluorescent Antibody Test - IFAT), and demonstrate the most suitable test for the diagnosis of different stages of infection. Blood samples and clinical data were collected from 30 dogs examined at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil. The clinical signs most frequently observed were apathy, anorexia, pale mucous membrane, fever, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, hemorrhages and uveitis. Evaluating the humoral immune response, 63.3% of the sera were IFAT positive, while 70% were Dot-ELISA positive. By nestedPCR 53.3% of the samples were positive. Comparing these techniques it was concluded that serology and nPCR are the most suitable tests to confirm the diagnosis of canine ehrlichiosis, however it should be always treated as a complementary data to clinical and hematological evaluation. Serology has an important role in the subclinical and in the chronic phase, nPCR is recommended in the acute stage, and, especially, to identify the ehrlichia specie.

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 548-552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric M. Nicholson ◽  
Robert A. Kunkle ◽  
Amir N. Hamir ◽  
Semakaleng Lebepe-Mazur ◽  
Dennis Orcutt

Clinical signs of prion disease are not specific and include a variety of differential diagnoses. Serological tests and nucleic acid-based detection methods are not applicable to prion-disease-agent detection because of the unusual nature of the infectious agent. Prion-disease diagnosis is primarily conducted by means of immunodetection of the infectious agent, typically by at least 2 distinct procedures with immunohisto-chemistry and Western blot being the most informative. These approaches differ in the need for formalin-fixed and frozen or fresh tissue respectively. This work describes a method for the detection of the disease-associated isoform of the prion protein by Western blot using formalin-fixed tissues. The approach requires only minimal modification of existing Western-blot procedures and could readily be incorporated into existing detection schemes for confirmatory purposes when fresh or frozen tissues are unavailable.


2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 971-975
Author(s):  
Sunutcha Suntrarachun ◽  
Surasak Akesowan ◽  
Thaweesak Tirawatnapong

Abstract Background: Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is a lentivirus with an almost worldwide distribution, infecting equids. It causes a persistent infection that is characterized by recurring episodes of fever, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. Most of the horses may control EIAV replication within a year, remaining persistently infected without clinical signs of disease. Objective: Detect EIA nucleic acid from peripheral blood of asymptomatic horses using nested PCR. Materials and method: We used nested PCR, amplifying P26 gag gene of EIAV, for direct detection of viral RNA in plasma and proviral DNA from PBMC in asymptomatic carrier horses in comparison with the Coggins test. EIA nucleic acid was prepared from 20 seropositive and five EIAV seronegative horses. Amplification of 246 bp expected size fragments was obtained using two different sets of primers targeting the P26 gag gene. Results: Among 20 seropositive horses, nine samples were positive for RNA and DNA. The five samples were positive for DNA but not for RNA, which indicates that the virus integrated into the host cell genome with a low level of viral replication. However, six samples were negative for both DNA and RNA. False negative could result due to primer failure caused by gag sequences variation among strains circulating in Thailand when compared with various strains from other parts of the world. EIAV antigens may also be prepared from cell cultures contaminated with other retroviruses thus causing false positives with the Coggins test. Conclusion: Nested PCR can be a useful tool for detecting the presence of EIAV in asymptomatic carrier horses. This may be especially true during the acute stage of the disease where the viremia levels are usually at the highest levels before detectable antibodies appear.


1995 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
S A Larsen ◽  
B M Steiner ◽  
A H Rudolph

The lack of a method for demonstrating the presence of Treponema pallidum by growth necessitates the use of alternative methods. Traditionally, these methods are divided into direct detection methods (animal inoculation, dark-field microscopy, etc.) and serologic tests for the presence of patient antibody against T. pallidum. Serologic methods are further divided into two classes. One class, the nontreponemal tests, detects antibodies to lipoidal antigens present in either the host or T. pallidum; examples are the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory and rapid plasma reagin and tests. Reactivity in these tests generally indicates host tissue damage that may not be specific for syphilis. Because these tests are easy and inexpensive to perform, they are commonly used for screening, and with proper clinical signs they are suggestive of syphilis. The other class of test, the treponemal tests, uses specific treponemal antigens. Confirmation of infection requires a reactive treponemal test. Examples of the treponemal tests are the microhemagglutination assay for antibodies to T. pallidum and the fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption test. These tests are more expensive and complicated to perform than the nontreponemal tests. On the horizon are a number of direct antigen, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and PCR techniques. Several of these techniques have shown promise in clinical trials for the diagnosis of congenital syphilis and neurosyphilis that are presently difficult to diagnose.


2000 ◽  
Vol 18 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 95-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Mohsen

Brucellosis is a highly contagious disease affecting a wide variety of farm animals. It is also an important zoonosis, and man is often infected following contact with infected animals or the consumption of contaminated milk and milk products. At present, mainly bacteriological and serological detection methods are used. A bacteriological method takes days to weeks to grow the organism besides its health hazard. Serological tests are faster but antigen–antibody interactions can be faulted by non-specific interactions. A method for direct detection of Brucella melitensis in 1 ml of milk was developed on the basis of enzymatic treatment of milk components and subsequent PCR and line probe assay (LPA). After PCR, 3 × 104 CFU/ml sensitivity was obtained by agarose gel electrophoresis and LPA. The safety and sensitivity of LPA combined with its speed suggests the potential of this technique for diagnosis of brucellosis in milk rather than the time consuming classical methods.


2018 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Sabrina Thabla Pereira Lopes ◽  
Bruno Da Silva Prado ◽  
Gustavo Henrique Chaves Martins ◽  
Hiran Esmeraldo Albuquerque Beserra ◽  
Marcos Antônio Celestino de Souza Filho ◽  
...  

Background: Trypanosoma vivax is a protozoan that causes reproductive disorders and decreased production in domestic and wild ungulate animals. The bovine are the main hosts of the disease and the transmission occurs by the bite of hematophagous insects, mainly tabanids. Several diagnostic techniques can be used to detect the parasite, both in parasitologicalform and by serological kits. In Brazil, the disease has been reported in bovines, goats and sheep of some states, with high morbidity and mortality and due to the scarcity of results on the epidemiology of the disease, this work had the objective to report the presence of T. vivax in a female bovine of a dairy herd in Parnaíba county, Piauí.Case: The animal naturally infected by Trypanosoma vivax, was a three-year-old cow from a dairy farm in the Parnaíba county, located in the north of Piauí state. The farm had a herd whith 62.20% of young Girolando breed cows and the breeding system used was semi-confinement, with two mechanical milking per day. At the time of a Veterinarian’s technicalvisit to the property, it was observed the occurrence of abortions, mastitis, estrus repetitions and cows with hematuria, leading to the suspicion of the bovine leptospirosis occurrence. Blood samples were collected from 78 cows from the herd for hematological, biochemical and serological tests, and 72 (92.30%) were reactive to some Leptospira serovars. All the exams were carried out at the Federal University of Piauí (UFPI). In the group of animals negative for leptospirosis, a female was diagnosed positive for bovine trypanosomiasis, confirming the result in the blood smear. This animal had no clinical signs characteristic of the disease at the time of the evaluation.Discussion: Blood trypomastigote forms of Trypanosoma vivax were visualized on several slides of the animal smear and all the morphological structures of the parasite found were clearly seen under microscopyas described in the literature. The hematological alterations observed were normochromic normocytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukocytosis due tolymphocytosis, monocytosis and eosinophilia. The anemia and leukocytosis clinical condition found in the specific animal is commonly found in bovines naturally infected by trypanosomiasis in the chronic phase of the disease. The results of the serum biochemistry revealed decreased blood glucose and increased renal and hepatic parameters, as well as the inversion of the albumin-globulin ratio. Similar laboratory results were also described previously. The animal had a good body score, a good diet and showed no clinical signs of the disease. A good nutrition may have controlled the T. vivax parasitaemia, avoiding the characterization of the clinical condition. This fact can be attributed to the differences in pathogenicity of the parasite and/or susceptibility of a particular host. In the area of the farm where the cattle were housed the presence ofseveral tabanids was noticed and the increase of these insects in the environment is considered a risk factor, predisposing, even, the occurrence of new outbreaks. The epidemiological situation of the disease in Brazil is described, for the most part, by reports of outbreaks or specific events, revealing the lack of more consistent studies. With this result it is knownthat trypanosomiasis exists in the dairy herd of the state of Piauí, being important to carry out new work to diagnose the epidemiological situation of the disease within the productive context of our region.Keywords: bovine, dairy herd, trypanosomiasis.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Catie Cramer ◽  
Theresa L. Ollivett

Abstract Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is an important disease in dairy calves due to its long-lasting effects. Early identification results in better outcomes for the animal, but producers struggle to identify all calves with BRD. Sickness behavior, or the behavioral changes that accompany illness, has been investigated for its usefulness as a disease detection tool. Behavioral changes associated with BRD include decreased milk intake and drinking speed, depressed attitude, and less likelihood of approaching a novel object or stationary human. Behavioral measurements are useful, as they can be collected automatically or with little financial input. However, one limitation of many BRD behavioral studies includes the use of either lung auscultation or clinical signs as reference methods, which are imperfect. Additionally, external factors may influence the expression of sickness behavior, which can affect if and when behavior can be used to identify calves with BRD. Behavioral measures available to detect BRD lack adequate sensitivity and specificity to be the sole means of disease detection, especially when detection tools, such as calf lung ultrasound, have better test characteristics. However, using behavioral assessments in addition to other detection methods can allow for a robust BRD detection program that can ameliorate the consequences of BRD.


2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 202-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolle Fridlund Plugge ◽  
Fabiano Montiani Ferreira ◽  
Rosária Regina Tesoni de Barros Richartz ◽  
Adriana de Siqueira ◽  
Rosangela Locatelli Dittrich

This study aimed to evaluate occurrences of antibodies against Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii in dogs with neurological signs. Blood samples from 147 dogs were collected: 127 from owned dogs (attended at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the Federal University of Paraná (HV-UFPR) and at private veterinary clinics in the city of Curitiba), and 20 from stray dogs found in Curitiba's metropolitan region. The dogs presented one or more of the following neurological signs: seizures, paresis or paralysis, ataxia, behavioral abnormalities, sensory and somatic disorders and chorioretinitis. The samples were analyzed by means of the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), at a cutoff dilution of 1:50. Out of the 147 samples obtained, 17 (11.56%) were seropositive for N. caninum, 31 (21.08%) for T. gondii and four (2.72%) for both protozoa. Serum titration on the positive animals showed that 54.83% (17/31) and 41.18% (7/17) had titers > 1:200 against T. gondii and N. caninum, respectively. A significant difference in seropositivity for T. gondii (P = 0.021; OR = 2.87; CI = 1.1 > 2.8 > 7.4) was observed between owned dogs (18.11%) and stray dogs (40%). Inclusion of serological tests for neosporosis and toxoplasmosis is recommended in diagnosing neurological diseases in dogs.


Author(s):  
Eide Dias Camargo ◽  
Paulo Mutuko Nakamura ◽  
Adelaide José Vaz ◽  
Marcos Vinícius da Silva ◽  
Pedro Paulo Chieffi ◽  
...  

The dot-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (dot-ELISA) was standardized using somatic (S) and excretory-secretory (ES) antigens of Toxocara-canis for the detection of specific antibodies in 22 serum samples from children aged 1 to 15 years, with clinical signs of toxocariasis. Fourteen serum samples from apparently normal individuals and 28 sera from patients with other pathologies were used as controls. All samples were used before and after absorption with Ascaris suum extract. When the results were evaluated in comparison with ELISA, the two tests were found to have similar sensitivity, but dot-ELISA was found to be more specific in the presence of the two antigens studied. Dot-ELISA proved to be effective for the diagnosis of human toxocariasis, presenting advantages in terms of yield, stability, time and ease of execution and low cost.


1977 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 274-279
Author(s):  
Omar O. Barriga

Six diethylaminoethyl-cellulose fractions of a larval Trichinella spiralis extract, an Ascaris suum extract, and a nonrelated protein were used for cutaneous tests in guinea pigs with 8-, 14-, and 73-day-old T. spiralis infections, in guinea pigs with 13-day-old A. suum infections, and in normal guinea pigs. A selected T. spiralis fraction was used in hemagglutination (HA) tests with sera of 8 T. spiralis -infected rabbits, 41 sera of trichinellosis patients positive by bentonite agglutination tests, and 50 sera of clinically healthy persons. Immediate-type cutaneous reactions revealed extensive cross-reactivity between both parasites, although the establishment of conventional limits for considering a reaction positive allowed the specific diagnosis of acute or chronic trichinellosis with different fractions. Delayed-type reactions were specific with all fractions except one, and different fractions reacted during either the acute or the chronic phase of trichinellosis. HA detected anti- Trichinella antibodies in all the rabbits 9 to 10 days postinfection, in all trichinellosis patients, and in none of the healthy people. Correlation between HA and bentonite agglutination titers and other considerations suggest that HA with the selected fraction detects early antibodies. HA inhibition tests with A. suum extract suggest lack of HA cross-reactivity between the A. suum - and T. spiralis -selected fractions. The use of different fractions in diverse tests for clinical or epidemiological studies is suggested.


2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 305-314
Author(s):  
Beata Polińska ◽  
Joanna Matowicka-Karna ◽  
Halina Kemona

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, autoimmune connective tissue disease of unknown etiology. RA affects about 1% of the human population, women suffer three times more often than men, with the peak incidence between the age of 40 to 50. The up-to-date criteria from 2010 for the diagnosis of RA include: occurrence and duration of clinical signs, indicators of inflammation and serological tests. Neopterin, a protein released by macrophages, is a sensitive indicator of inflammation and the severity of RA. Regarding the serological tests, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies represent a well-known marker with the specificity for RA of about 98%. The antibodies may be present in the serum of patients even a few years before the first clinical signs of the disease, heralding erosive changes in the joints and more severe course of RA. The literature also contains reports about autoantibodies anti-CarP and anti-Sa/ anti-MCV, which may occur in people with pain and swelling of joints and precede full-blown development of RA as well as reflect disease activity. Serological diagnosis of RA may be supported by some genetic tests based on PCR for detecting mutations e.g. C1858T in the PNPN22 gene. In turn, the quantitative analysis of different classes of miRNAs seems justified in order to better classify patients showing symptoms of RA. Further studies are needed that take into account the role of different markers in the development of RA, and confirm the high sensitivity and specificity of these markers in the diagnosis of the disease.


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