Ehrlichia sp. in dairy cattle from Bahia, Brazil: high seropositivity rates and molecular confirmation of Ehrlichia minasensis

Abstract Background Ehrlichia spp. are obligate intracytoplasmic Gram-negative tickborne bacteria from the Anaplasmataceae family. Ehrlichiosis is considered an emerging disease in humans and animals. Studies on bovine ehrlichiosis are scarce in Northeastern Brazil. Therefore, the objectives of this...

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Main Authors: Antònio C. Diakos, Taynar L. Bezerra, Waléria Borges-Silva, Mateus A. Cedro, Rogério F. de Jesus, Daniel. M. Aguiar, Priscila J. S. G. Mizuuti, Tayane B. S. Magalhães, Nathalia A. Pereira, Luís F. P. Gondim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-12-01
Series:BMC Veterinary Research
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-04447-4
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author Antònio C. Diakos
Taynar L. Bezerra
Waléria Borges-Silva
Mateus A. Cedro
Rogério F. de Jesus
Daniel. M. Aguiar
Priscila J. S. G. Mizuuti
Tayane B. S. Magalhães
Nathalia A. Pereira
Luís F. P. Gondim
author_facet Antònio C. Diakos
Taynar L. Bezerra
Waléria Borges-Silva
Mateus A. Cedro
Rogério F. de Jesus
Daniel. M. Aguiar
Priscila J. S. G. Mizuuti
Tayane B. S. Magalhães
Nathalia A. Pereira
Luís F. P. Gondim
author_sort Antònio C. Diakos
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Ehrlichia spp. are obligate intracytoplasmic Gram-negative tickborne bacteria from the Anaplasmataceae family. Ehrlichiosis is considered an emerging disease in humans and animals. Studies on bovine ehrlichiosis are scarce in Northeastern Brazil. Therefore, the objectives of this work were to determine the frequency of antibodies anti-Ehrlichia sp. in dairy cattle herds in the Feira de Santana microregion, Bahia, and to confirm infection through PCR and nucleotide sequencing in selected seropositive animals. Results Blood samples were collected from 256 clinically healthy adult cattle from four dairy farms. Plasma from each animal was tested for Ehrlichia sp. using an indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and a 1:40 cutoff. Of the 256 tested samples, 249 (97.26%) were seropositive for Ehrlichia sp. Forty blood samples (10 from each farm) from IFAT-positive cattle were examined by a PCR for Ehrlichia sp. and resulted in 13 infected animals; DNA samples from six PCR-positive cows were sequenced and matched 100% with Ehrlichia minasensis. Conclusions The results represent the first serological and molecular evidence of E. minasensis in cattle from Bahia state and northeastern Brazil. Despite the limited number of tested cattle, the high frequency of seropositive animals in four farms suggests that Ehrlichia sp. is widely disseminated in the studied microregion. Considering that the infected cattle were asymptomatic, it is possible that they developed protective immunity against Ehrlichia sp.
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spelling doaj-art-4a83e0e225bd4b67975dcbd339c62ac52024-12-29T12:35:51ZengBMCBMC Veterinary Research1746-61482024-12-012011610.1186/s12917-024-04447-4Ehrlichia sp. in dairy cattle from Bahia, Brazil: high seropositivity rates and molecular confirmation of Ehrlichia minasensisAntònio C. Diakos0Taynar L. Bezerra1Waléria Borges-Silva2Mateus A. Cedro3Rogério F. de Jesus4Daniel. M. Aguiar5Priscila J. S. G. Mizuuti6Tayane B. S. Magalhães7Nathalia A. Pereira8Luís F. P. Gondim9Departamento de Anatomia, Patologia e Clínicas Veterinárias, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e ZootecniaDepartamento de Anatomia, Patologia e Clínicas Veterinárias, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e ZootecniaDepartamento de Anatomia, Patologia e Clínicas Veterinárias, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e ZootecniaDepartamento de Anatomia, Patologia e Clínicas Veterinárias, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e ZootecniaDepartamento de Anatomia, Patologia e Clínicas Veterinárias, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e ZootecniaLaboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Hospital Veterinário da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (HOVET-UFMT)Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Hospital Veterinário da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (HOVET-UFMT)Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Hospital Veterinário da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (HOVET-UFMT)Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Hospital Veterinário da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (HOVET-UFMT)Departamento de Anatomia, Patologia e Clínicas Veterinárias, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e ZootecniaAbstract Background Ehrlichia spp. are obligate intracytoplasmic Gram-negative tickborne bacteria from the Anaplasmataceae family. Ehrlichiosis is considered an emerging disease in humans and animals. Studies on bovine ehrlichiosis are scarce in Northeastern Brazil. Therefore, the objectives of this work were to determine the frequency of antibodies anti-Ehrlichia sp. in dairy cattle herds in the Feira de Santana microregion, Bahia, and to confirm infection through PCR and nucleotide sequencing in selected seropositive animals. Results Blood samples were collected from 256 clinically healthy adult cattle from four dairy farms. Plasma from each animal was tested for Ehrlichia sp. using an indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and a 1:40 cutoff. Of the 256 tested samples, 249 (97.26%) were seropositive for Ehrlichia sp. Forty blood samples (10 from each farm) from IFAT-positive cattle were examined by a PCR for Ehrlichia sp. and resulted in 13 infected animals; DNA samples from six PCR-positive cows were sequenced and matched 100% with Ehrlichia minasensis. Conclusions The results represent the first serological and molecular evidence of E. minasensis in cattle from Bahia state and northeastern Brazil. Despite the limited number of tested cattle, the high frequency of seropositive animals in four farms suggests that Ehrlichia sp. is widely disseminated in the studied microregion. Considering that the infected cattle were asymptomatic, it is possible that they developed protective immunity against Ehrlichia sp.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-04447-4EhrlichiosisBovineSerologyAntibodyPCRSequencing
spellingShingle Antònio C. Diakos
Taynar L. Bezerra
Waléria Borges-Silva
Mateus A. Cedro
Rogério F. de Jesus
Daniel. M. Aguiar
Priscila J. S. G. Mizuuti
Tayane B. S. Magalhães
Nathalia A. Pereira
Luís F. P. Gondim
Ehrlichia sp. in dairy cattle from Bahia, Brazil: high seropositivity rates and molecular confirmation of Ehrlichia minasensis
BMC Veterinary Research
Ehrlichiosis
Bovine
Serology
Antibody
PCR
Sequencing
title Ehrlichia sp. in dairy cattle from Bahia, Brazil: high seropositivity rates and molecular confirmation of Ehrlichia minasensis
title_full Ehrlichia sp. in dairy cattle from Bahia, Brazil: high seropositivity rates and molecular confirmation of Ehrlichia minasensis
title_fullStr Ehrlichia sp. in dairy cattle from Bahia, Brazil: high seropositivity rates and molecular confirmation of Ehrlichia minasensis
title_full_unstemmed Ehrlichia sp. in dairy cattle from Bahia, Brazil: high seropositivity rates and molecular confirmation of Ehrlichia minasensis
title_short Ehrlichia sp. in dairy cattle from Bahia, Brazil: high seropositivity rates and molecular confirmation of Ehrlichia minasensis
title_sort ehrlichia sp in dairy cattle from bahia brazil high seropositivity rates and molecular confirmation of ehrlichia minasensis
topic Ehrlichiosis
Bovine
Serology
Antibody
PCR
Sequencing
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-04447-4
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