SUSCEPTIBILITY OF DOGS TO INFECTION WITH EHRLICHIA-RISTICII, CAUSATIVE AGENT OF EQUINE MONOCYTIC EHRLICHIOSIS (POTOMAC HORSE FEVER)

  • 1 September 1988
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 49  (9) , 1497-1500
Abstract
Adults dog 1 to 5 were inoculated IV and/or SC with 3, 5, or 6 ml of a suspension containing 1.2 .times. 104 Ehrlichia risticii-infected cells (derived from primary canine monocyte cell cultures)/ml. Dogs 6 to 8 were inoculated IV and/or SC with 3 or 6 ml of 1.2 .times. 104 organism-free cultured canine monocytes/ml. Ehrlichia risticii was isolated in cultures from inoculated dogs 3, 4, and 5 on postinoculation days (PID) 10 to 16, but not from dogs 6 to 8. Dogs inoculated with E. risticii seroconverted between PID 6 and 12. Clinical signs of illness were not observed in these 5 E risticii-inoculated dogs. A pony, inoculated with E. risticii isolated from inoculated dog 5, developed clinical signs of equine monocytic ehrlichiosis, including fever, anorexia, depression, and diarrhea, and E. risticii was isolated from the pony''s blood. This E. risticii isolate was the incouslate into susceptible dog 9, and E. risticii was repeatedly isolated from dog 9 during PID 6 to 17. Dogs were susceptible to infection with E. risticii and may serve as a reservoir of the organism in the field.