dog and cat assay data sheet
Anaplasma
platys (formerly Ehrlichia platys)
- also
known as infectious canine cyclic thrombocytopenia (ICCT)
Test code:
B0053 - Ultrasensitive qualitative detection of
Anaplasma platys by real
time PCR
B0053 is included
on P0025 - tickborne disease panel, on P0039 canine anemia panel
and on P0040 - feline anemia panel
Anaplasma
platys
(formerly Ehrlichia platys)
is a small rickettsia that can cause ehrlichiosis in dogs. It is
usually transmitted through the bite of an infected tick (Rhipicephalus
sanguineus) or other arthropod.
A. platys
was first reported in 1978 in dogs from Florida; Infectious Canine
Cyclic Thrombocytopenia (ICCT) was the name given to the disease
caused by this strain. Since then, ICCT has been reported in many
areas of the United States and in other regions of the world.
In most previous
reports, ICCT was considered a benign disease without obvious clinical
signs. Therefore, A. platys
was not considered a very pathogenic organism or an important
disease-causing agent. However, other investigators have reported more
severe clinical signs, similar in severity to those associated with
E. canis infections.
Dogs infected with these rickettsiae will develop cyclic parasitemia
and cyclic thrombocytopenia at 7- to 14-day intervals.
Due to cyclic
parasitemia, detection of
Anaplasma in blood smears can be difficult. The pathogen
appears in stained blood films as a blue intraplatelet organism within
vacuoles. Anaplasma
inclusions or morulae are generally an incidental finding during
routine blood smear examination.
Anaplasma
infection
can be detected via ELISA or IFA testing. Such serology testing can
identify dogs with prior exposure but is not useful for detecting
re-infection or carrier status. Examination of blood smears can detect
the pathogen but the sensitivity of this technique is very low.
Molecular detection by real time PCR, which is very specific and
sensitive, is useful to quickly identify this pathogen and confirm
dogs’ re-infection or carrier status.
Utilities:
-
Help confirm the disease causing agent
-
Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical
diagnosis of Anaplasma platys
-
Help ensure that animal facilities are free of
A. platys
-
Early prevention of spread of
A. platys among a
facility
-
Minimize human exposure to
A. platys
-
Safety monitoring of biological products that derive
from susceptible animals
Specimen
requirements: 0.2 ml whole blood in EDTA (purple top) tube, or
0.2 ml synovial fluid, or tick.
Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.
For all specimen
types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during very warm
weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship with a cold pack
unless more stringent shipping requirements are specified. Frozen
specimens should be shipped so as to remain frozen in transit. See
shipping instructions for more
information.
Turnaround
time:
2 business days
Methodology:
Real time polymerase
chain reaction
Normal range:
Nondetected
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