Immunophenotypical and pathological changes in dogs experimentally infected with Ehrlichia canis / Alterações imunofenotípicas e patológicas em cães experimentalmente infectados por Ehrlichia canis

Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) is one of the most important tick-borne diseases worldwide, with multisystemic presentations. Immune dysregulation has been proposed as the primary mechanism involved in its pathogenesis and in tissue injury in dogs with CME. Experimental infection of German Shepherd dogs in the present study demonstrated that CME caused marked pathological changes in their lymph nodes and spleen, and also gave rise to mononuclear infiltration in organs and tissues. Immunophenotyping of cells in lymph nodes, spleen and injured tissues highlighted differences in lymphocyte subsets, local expression of immunoglobulin subclasses and MHCII molecules between infected and control dogs. These findings suggest that the immunophenotypic and immunopathological changes in dogs with acute experimental CME are related to Th1 bias and compartmentalized immune response.(AU)

A erliquiose monocítica canina (EMC) é uma das doenças veiculadas por carrapatos com apresentações multisistêmicas mais relevantes em todo o mundo. A desregulação do sistema imune vem sendo proposta como o principal mecanismo envolvido na patogênese e lesão de tecidos em cães com EMC. A infecção experimental de pastores alemães nesta pesquisa evidenciou marcadas alterações patológicas em linfonodos, baço e também infiltração mononuclear em órgãos e tecidos. A imunofenotipagem de células em linfonodos, baço e tecidos lesados destacou diferenças em subconjuntos de linfócitos, expressão local de subclasses de imunoglobulinas e de moléculas MHCII entre cães infectados e controle. Esses achados sugerem que um viés Th1 e uma resposta imune compartimentalizada estão relacionados às alterações imunofenotípicas e imunopatológicas em cães com EMC experimental aguda.(AU)

Cerebral haemorrhage as a clinical manifestation of human ehrlichiosis.

A 16-year-old young man presented to the emergency room with new-onset generalised tonic-clonic seizures. Examination showed a Glasgow score of 13 and predominantly crural left hemiparesis. Imaging demonstrated a right frontoparietal haemorrhage of non-vascular origin with perilesional oedema. Surgical drainage was carried out, but rebleeding occurred within 24 hours following surgery, and again 1 week after discharge. On reinterrogation and examination, Ehrlichia canis infection was suspected and empirical management with doxycycline was begun. Improvement was evident 72 hours after antibiotic initiation, and PCR confirmed the diagnosis; thus, doxycycline was continued for 6 months. After 2 years, seizures recurred and treatment was reinstated with good clinical response. However, seizures reappeared whenever treatment discontinuation was attempted. Lacking alternatives, doxycycline was maintained up to the third year following the initial episode. Subsequently, the patient showed complete resolution without neurological sequelae up to his last follow-up visit, 12 months following treatment cessation.

Butyrylcholinesterase as a marker of inflammation and liver injury in the acute and subclinical phases of canine ehrlichiosis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) as a marker of inflammation and liver injury in the acute and subclinical phases of canine ehrlichiosis. Forty-two serum samples of dogs naturally infected with Ehrlichia canis were used, of which 24 were from animals with the acute phase of the disease and 18 with subclinical disease. In addition, sera from 17 healthy dogs were used as negative controls. The hematocrit, BChE activity, hepatic injury (alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)), nitric oxide, and cytokines levels were evaluated. The BChE activity was significantly elevated (P<0.05) in dogs with the acute phase of the disease when compared to healthy animals. However, there was a reduction on BChE activity on dogs with subclinical disease compared to the other two groups. AST and ALT levels were significantly higher (P<0.05) in the acute phase, as well as the inflammatory mediators (NOx, TNF-α, INF-γ, IL-4, IL-6) when compared to the control group. On the other hand, IL-10 levels were lower in the acute phase. Based on these results, we are able to conclude that the acute infection caused by E. canis in dogs leads to an increase on seric BChE activity and some inflammatory mediators. Therefore, this enzyme might be used as a marker of acute inflammatory response in dogs naturally infected by this bacterium.

Fase aguda da ehrlichiose monocítica canina: um estudo retrospectivo de 10 anos / Acute phase of canine monocitic ehrlichiosis: a ten years study

Um levantamento de mais de dez anos (janeiro de 1990 a maio de 2000) dos casos de Ehrlichiose Monocítica Canina (CME) diagnosticados pela presença de mórula de E. canis em células monocelulares no esfregaço de sangue periférico, no Hospital Veterinário da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da UNESP, campus de Botucatu, demonstrou maior incidência da doença em fase aguda nos meses mais quentes do ano. As principais alterações hematológicas encontradas foram anemia não-regenerativa de grau moderado, hipoproteinemia, trombocitopenia, leucopenia por neutropenia e linfopenia absolutas

A ten-years study (from january 1990 to may 2000) of the canine Monocitic Ehrlichiosis (CME) diagnosed by the presence of the Erlichia canis morulae in mononuclear cells at the Clinical Laboratory of the Hospital Veterinário da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, in Botucatu, Brazil, showed an increased frequency of the disease in the acute phase, during the warm seasins of the year. Some of the more important hematological findings were: an arregenerative moderate anemia, hipoproteinemia, thrombocytopenia and leucopenia with absolute neutropenia and lymphopenia

Fase aguda da ehrlichiose monocítica canina: um estudo retrospectivo de 10 anos / Acute phase of canine monocitic ehrlichiosis: a ten years study

Um levantamento de mais de dez anos (janeiro de 1990 a maio de 2000) dos casos de Ehrlichiose Monocítica Canina (CME) diagnosticados pela presença de mórula de E. canis em células monocelulares no esfregaço de sangue periférico, no Hospital Veterinário da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da UNESP, campus de Botucatu, demonstrou maior incidência da doença em fase aguda nos meses mais quentes do ano. As principais alterações hematológicas encontradas foram anemia não-regenerativa de grau moderado, hipoproteinemia, trombocitopenia, leucopenia por neutropenia e linfopenia absolutas(AU)

A ten-years study (from january 1990 to may 2000) of the canine Monocitic Ehrlichiosis (CME) diagnosed by the presence of the Erlichia canis morulae in mononuclear cells at the Clinical Laboratory of the Hospital Veterinário da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, in Botucatu, Brazil, showed an increased frequency of the disease in the acute phase, during the warm seasins of the year. Some of the more important hematological findings were: an arregenerative moderate anemia, hipoproteinemia, thrombocytopenia and leucopenia with absolute neutropenia and lymphopenia(AU)