C B Yancey1, P P V P Diniz2, E B Breitschwerdt1, B C Hegarty1, C Wiesen3, B A Qurollo1. 1. Department of Clinical Sciences and the Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, Comparative Medicine Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27607, USA. 2. Western University of Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Pomona, California, 91766, USA. 3. The Odum Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27514, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate doxycycline treatment efficacy and post-treatment pathogen persistence in dogs naturally infected with Anaplasma phagocytophilum in endemic regions of the USA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Symptomatic dogs in four US states (MN, WI, CT and CA) were evaluated before treatment with doxycycline and approximately 30 and 60 days post-treatment. Clinicopathological parameters, co-exposures and A. phagocytophilum DNA in whole blood and lymph node samples were compared between A. phagocytophilum infected and uninfected dogs. RESULTS: In total, 42 dogs fulfilled the inclusion criteria, with 16 dogs (38%) blood PCR-positive and 26 dogs (62%) blood PCR-negative for A. phagocytophilum. At initial evaluation, the proportion of clinicopathological abnormalities was similar between A. phagocytophilum infected and uninfected dogs, although thrombocytopenia and lymphopenia were statistically more prevalent among A. phagocytophilum infected dogs. Treatment with doxycycline resulted in resolution of all clinical abnormalities in infected dogs; four dogs had persistent haematological abnormalities, including mild leukopenia, eosinopenia and lymphopenia. All 16 infected dogs became blood PCR-negative approximately 30 and 60 days after treatment onset. Additionally, 13/13 (100%) lymph node specimens tested post-treatment were PCR-negative. Select clinicopathological abnormalities persisted in uninfected dogs after treatment. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The results of this study support the efficacy of doxycycline therapy for clinical treatment of dogs naturally infected with A. phagocytophilum in the USA. This study did not find clinical, haematological or microbiological indicators that supported the persistence of A. phagocytophilum infection in naturally infected dogs following treatment with doxycycline for 28 days.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate doxycycline treatment efficacy and post-treatment pathogen persistence in dogs naturally infected with Anaplasma phagocytophilum in endemic regions of the USA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Symptomatic dogs in four US states (MN, WI, CT and CA) were evaluated before treatment with doxycycline and approximately 30 and 60 days post-treatment. Clinicopathological parameters, co-exposures and A. phagocytophilum DNA in whole blood and lymph node samples were compared between A. phagocytophilum infected and uninfected dogs. RESULTS: In total, 42 dogs fulfilled the inclusion criteria, with 16 dogs (38%) blood PCR-positive and 26 dogs (62%) blood PCR-negative for A. phagocytophilum. At initial evaluation, the proportion of clinicopathological abnormalities was similar between A. phagocytophilum infected and uninfected dogs, although thrombocytopenia and lymphopenia were statistically more prevalent among A. phagocytophilum infected dogs. Treatment with doxycycline resulted in resolution of all clinical abnormalities in infected dogs; four dogs had persistent haematological abnormalities, including mild leukopenia, eosinopenia and lymphopenia. All 16 infected dogs became blood PCR-negative approximately 30 and 60 days after treatment onset. Additionally, 13/13 (100%) lymph node specimens tested post-treatment were PCR-negative. Select clinicopathological abnormalities persisted in uninfected dogs after treatment. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The results of this study support the efficacy of doxycycline therapy for clinical treatment of dogs naturally infected with A. phagocytophilum in the USA. This study did not find clinical, haematological or microbiological indicators that supported the persistence of A. phagocytophiluminfection in naturally infected dogs following treatment with doxycycline for 28 days.
Authors: Delia Lacasta; Héctor Ruiz; Aurora Ortín; Sergio Villanueva-Saz; Agustín Estrada-Peña; José María González; Juan José Ramos; Luis Miguel Ferrer; Alfredo Ángel Benito; Raquel Labanda; Carlos Malo; María Teresa Verde; Antonio Fernández; Marta Ruiz de Arcaute Journal: Animals (Basel) Date: 2022-09-02 Impact factor: 3.231
Authors: Farhan Ahmad Atif; Saba Mehnaz; Muhammad Fiaz Qamar; Taleeha Roheen; Muhammad Sohail Sajid; Syed Ehtisham-Ul-Haque; Muhammad Kashif; Mourad Ben Said Journal: Vet Sci Date: 2021-12-08