In vitro isolation and molecular characterization of an Ehrlichia canis strain from São Paulo, Brazil
A 7-year old male Labrador retriever was admitted to the São Paulo University Veterinary Hospital with recurrent history of anorexia, apathy, bloody diarrhea and tick infestation. Based on a previous clinical diagnosis of CME, the dog had been treated with doxycycline (10mg/Kg daily for 3 weeks) and imidorcarb dipropionate (5 mg/Kg,two doses with 15 days interval) 20 days before the appearance of clinical symptoms. The dog was normal upon physical examination. Hematological abnormalities were anemia [hematocrit: 33% (reference values: 37 - 55%); low erythrocytes: 4.7 x 106/mm3 (reference values: 5.5 - 8.5 x 106/mm3)], leucopenia [leukocytes: 4,700/mm3 (reference values: 5,000 - 10,000/mm3)], and thrombocytopenia [platelet: 19,000/mm3 (reference values: 200,000 - 500,000/mm3)]. Blood was collected in EDTA for PCR, and in heparin for cell culture isolation.