USO DA PCR CONVENCIONAL COMO MEIO DE DIAGNÓSTICO DE EHRLICHIA CANIS, ANAPLASMA PLATYS, BABESIA SPP. E HEPATOZOOM SPP. EM CÃES COM TROMBOCITOPENIA

Abstract

In Brazil, the most common hemoparasites in the clinic of small animals are Babesia canis, Ehrlichia canis, Hepatozoon canis, and Anaplasma platys. These diseases are often associated with thrombocytopenia and PCR is a technique with high specificity and sensitivity for the detection of these hemoparasites. The objective of this work was to identify hemoparasites (E. canis, A. platys, Babesia spp. And Hepatozoon spp.) in dogs with thrombocytopenia, to detect co-infections of these agents and to compare the results with the diagnosis made by direct research into blood draw. Blood samples (88) from dogs that presented thrombocytopenia were selected and, after DNA extraction, PCRs was performed to detect hemoparasites. Hepatozoon spp. was detected in 63 (72%) of the samples, Babesia spp. in 39 (44%), E. canis in 25 (28%) and A. platys in 13 (15%). Of the total, 32 (36%) samples were positive for only one agent, 30 (34%) for two parasites and 16 (18%) for three microorganisms. Positive results in the microscopy examination for E. canis were confirmed in 5 (35.7%) animals, and in 9 (64.3%) results were not confirmed in the PCR. For A. platys, 1 (25%) case was confirmed and 3 (75%) were unconfirmed. Babesia spp. was confirmed in 5 (71.4%) animals and not confirmed in 2 (28.6%). Hepatozoon spp. was confirmed in 5 (83.3%) samples and not confirmed in 1 (16.7%). There is a high prevalence of canine hemoparasitosis in animals thrombocytopenic dogs, and the occurrence of coinfections is common. A high rate of infection with Hepatozoon spp. was observed in thrombocytopenic dogs treated at the veterinary hospital of UFPB. PCR was more sensitive and specific in the diagnosis of hemoparasites than the direct parasitological examination in peripheral blood .