Susceptibility of cats to infection with Ehrlichia risticii, causative agent of equine monocytic ehrlichiosis.
Abstract: Eight adult cats were inoculated IV (n = 6) or SC (n = 2) with Ehrlichia risticii-infected P388D1 (continuous murine macrophage) cells or with E risticii released from P388D1 cells. Three additional cats were inoculated with organism-free P388D1 cultured monocytes, and 1 cat, which served as a medium control was inoculated with balanced salt solution. Clinical signs of illness were observed in the IV inoculated cats from which E risticii was isolated. One cat developed intermittent diarrhea between postinoculation days (PID) 8 and 18, and the other cat developed lymphadenopathy, acute depression, and anorexia between PID 20 and 24. Ehrlichia risticii was isolated in cultures from 2 of 6 IV inoculated cats on PID 6, 10, and 17. Both cats were inoculated with E risticii released from the P388D1 cells. Ehrlichia risticii was not isolated from SC inoculated cats or from control cats. All 8 cats inoculated with E risticii seroconverted between PID 10 and 23. A pony inoculated with E risticii isolated from 1 of the inoculated cats developed clinical signs of equine monocytic ehrlichiosis including fever, anorexia, depression, and mild colic. Ehrlichia risticii was isolated from the blood of this pony on PID 7, 9, 11, and 16.
Publication Date: 1988-12-01 PubMed ID: 3071194 The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Animal Health
- Animal Science
- Clinical Symptoms
- Diagnosis
- Disease control
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Etiology
- Disease Management
- Disease Outbreaks
- Disease Surveillance
- Disease Transmission
- Disease Treatment
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Equine Science
- Horses
- Infection
- Infectious Disease
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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The research study explores the susceptibility of cats to infection with Ehrlichia risticii, a bacterium that causes equine monocytic ehrlichiosis, a disease predominantly affecting horses. The researchers investigated this by inoculating eight adult cats with E. risticii and observing the clinical signs.
Methodology
- The researchers used a group of eight adult cats for the study.
- These cats were inoculated, either intravenously (IV) (6 cats) or subcutaneously (SC) (2 cats) with Ehrlichia risticii-infected P388D1 cells, or with the Ehrlichia risticii bacterium released from these cells.
- For control purposes, three additional cats were inoculated with organism-free P388D1, a murine macrophage cell line, and one cat was inoculated with a balanced salt solution.
Observations
- Ehrlichia risticii could be isolated from cats inoculated intravenously. They displayed clinical signs of illness.
- One cat developed intermittent diarrhea between post-inoculation days (PID) of 8 and 18.
- Another cat showed symptoms of lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes), acute depression, and anorexia between PIDs of 20 and 24.
- However, no Ehrlichia risticii was isolated from the cats that were inoculated subcutaneously or from the control cats.
- All eight cats that were inoculated with Ehrlichia risticii seroconverted (or developed antibodies against Ehrlichia risticii) between PIDs of 10 and 23.
Pony Inoculation
- In an extended part of the study, a pony was inoculated with Ehrlichia risticii isolated from one of the inoculated cats.
- The pony showed clinical signs of equine monocytic ehrlichiosis, such as fever, anorexia, depression, and mild colic. These symptoms are consistent with the disease in its typical host, the horse.
- Ehrlichia risticii was then successfully isolated from the blood of this pony on PIDs 7, 9, 11, and 16.
Conclusion
This study suggests that cats can potentially serve as a host for Ehrlichia risticii, the bacteria that cause equine monocytic ehrlichiosis, expanding the range of potential hosts for this bacterium beyond horses. The findings essentially highlight the potential for interspecies transmission of this pathogen. However, further studies are needed for definitive conclusions.
Cite This Article
APA
Dawson JE, Abeygunawardena I, Holland CJ, Buese MM, Ristic M.
(1988).
Susceptibility of cats to infection with Ehrlichia risticii, causative agent of equine monocytic ehrlichiosis.
Am J Vet Res, 49(12), 2096-2100.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Bacterial / analysis
- Cat Diseases / etiology
- Cats
- Disease Susceptibility / veterinary
- Ehrlichia / pathogenicity
- Fluorescent Antibody Technique / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horses
- Male
- Monocytes / microbiology
- Rickettsia Infections / etiology
- Rickettsia Infections / transmission
- Rickettsia Infections / veterinary
- Rickettsiaceae / pathogenicity
Citations
This article has been cited 14 times.- Wardrop KJ, Birkenheuer A, Blais MC, Callan MB, Kohn B, Lappin MR, Sykes J. Update on Canine and Feline Blood Donor Screening for Blood-Borne Pathogens. J Vet Intern Med 2016 Jan-Feb;30(1):15-35.
- Lima ML, Soares PT, Ramos CA, Araújo FR, Ramos RA, Souza II, Faustino MA, Alves LC. Molecular detection of Anaplasma platys in a naturally-infected cat in Brazil. Braz J Microbiol 2010 Apr;41(2):381-5.
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- Wardrop KJ, Reine N, Birkenheuer A, Hale A, Hohenhaus A, Crawford C, Lappin MR. Canine and feline blood donor screening for infectious disease. J Vet Intern Med 2005 Jan-Feb;19(1):135-42.
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