Authors : Luis Tinoco-Gracia , Hector Quiroz-Romero , Maria Teresa Quintero-Martinez , Tomas Benjamin Renteria-Evangelista , Alberto Barreras-Serrano , Sawako Hori-Oshima , Gilberto Lopez-Valencia , Alma Rossana Tamayo-Sosa , Victor Alejandro Quezada-iniguez , Manuel Moro and Javier Vinasco
Abstract: A pilot study was conducted to estimate the seroprevalence to Ehrlichia canis in dogs in a Mexico-U.S. border desert region. A total of 94 dogs were tested by Ehrlichia canis ELISA kit. Information of dogs regarding gender, age, size and intensity of tick infestation was collected and the significance of these class variables was determined by Chi-squared test. An adjusted prevalence of 49.3% (95% I.C. 30.8-54.1%) to Ehrlichia canis was obtained using the Rogan-Glanden estimator. Given that ehrlichiosis in dogs is a zoonotic disease and the seroprevalence in this desert region of the Mexicali-U.S border was found to be high, it is necessary to perform a formal study to establish the actual seroprevalence in both dogs and humans and determine the risk factors associated with ehrlichiosis. Since Ehrlichia canis is mostly transmitted by ticks Rhipicephalus sanguineus, preventive and control measures to erradicate ticks have to be established in order of minimize the risk of infection.
Luis Tinoco-Gracia , Hector Quiroz-Romero , Maria Teresa Quintero-Martinez , Tomas Benjamin Renteria-Evangelista , Alberto Barreras-Serrano , Sawako Hori-Oshima , Gilberto Lopez-Valencia , Alma Rossana Tamayo-Sosa , Victor Alejandro Quezada-iniguez , Manuel Moro and Javier Vinasco , 2007. Seroprevalence of Ehrlichia canis in Dogs from a Mexico-U.S. Border Desert Region: Pilot Study . Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 6: 758-760.