DETECTION OF EHRLICHIAL ANTIGEN IN PLASMA OF BEAGLE DOGS WITH EXPERIMENTAL ACUTE EHRLICHIA-CANIS INFECTION

Six beagles were experimentally infected with Ehrlichia canis, All dog s developed typical clinical signs of ehrlichiosis and sere-converted, Ehrlichial antigenemia in the plasma of the infected dogs was detecte d using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Ehrlichi al antigen was present starting 15-20 days post-infection, after the d evelopment of clinical signs and antibody titre to Ehrlichia canis, Th e appearance of ehrlichial antigen in the plasma for a relatively shor t and variable period after the clinical and haematological signs, lim its its potential as an early diagnostic prognosticator of canine ehrl ichiosis.