First detection of Ehrlichia platys in dogs and ticks in Okinawa, Japan

We investigated Ehrlichia. platys infection of dogs and ticks in Okinawa, J apan. Using E, platys specific primers, E, platys and HE3-R, PCR-positive r esults were obtained with 32.0% (64/200) of blood samples of dogs and 3.8% (3/77) of ticks. The nucleotide sequences of the amplified DNA fragment fro m the dogs and the ticks infesting them were identical, and the sequence co rresponded to that of the E, platys Gzh981 strain. We concluded that there is a cyclic maintenance of E, platys between dogs and ticks in Okinawa.