ABSTRACT
To identify the causative agent of canine ehrlichiosis that has occurred in the suburbs of Guangzhou, China, since 1998, the 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced. Two sequences of 1,482 and 1,483 base pairs were obtained and named as Gzh981 and Gzh982, respectively. The level of similarity of these two was 91.50%, and Gzh981 closely resembled the 16S rRNA gene of Ehrlichia canis, whereas Gzh982 resembled Ehrlichia platys. We therefore conclude that E. canis and E. platys together caused recent outbreaks of canine ehrlichiosis in China.
Subject(s)
Dog Diseases/etiology , Ehrlichia/isolation & purification , Ehrlichiosis/veterinary , Animals , Base Sequence , Dogs , Ehrlichia/genetics , Ehrlichiosis/etiology , Molecular Sequence Data , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/geneticsABSTRACT
In an outbreak of scrub typhus occurred 138 cases in 1986 in Menying County of Shandong Province of China which were confirmed through clinical and epidemiological surveys and laboratory techniques. In the endemic areas, the predominant species of mite is Leptotrombidium (L.) scutelarae and the predominant rodent is Apodemus agrarius, which may be the main vector and reservoir. Several strains of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi (R.T.) were obtained from mites, wild mice and patients, of which 3 human strains (SDH871, SDH875, SDH878) cause illness and some deaths in mice, except SDH871. The LD50 of SDH878 is 3.4. Cross-protection was observed among the strains, SDH871, SDH878, and prototype strain karp. Also the antibodies in mucoid peritoneal fluid were detectable with high titer. Shandong R.T. belongs to the serotype of the Gilliam strain.
